Materialising the Studio. A systematic review of the role of the material space of the studio in Art, Design and Architecture Education

In art, design and architecture education, the ideal of learning together is intimately bound up with the notion of the studio as a space where students learn alongside (or under the guidance of) an ‘expert’ tutor (Schon 1987). This is a cherished and central tenet of art, design and architecture education, and a large body of research literature has developed exploring the various dimensions of students and tutors learning together in the studio. However, in an era of managerialism and the massification of higher education, the status of the art, design and architecture studio is increasingly precarious. And although the literature on studio-based pedagogy continues to grow, little directly addresses the role of material space and its contribution to learning. There is, then, a need to articulate the role of the material space of the studio in art, design and architecture education. To address this, a systematic review of the literature was undertaken to identify the major discussions of material space in studio-based education. The process identified 38 peer-reviewed empirical studies of the art, design or architecture educational studio where at least some attention to the material space formed part of the study. A grounded theory analysis of the 38 studies identified six major themes on the role of the material space of the studio in education. The goal of this study is to enrich our understanding of learning in art, design and architecture by examining the contribution of the material space of the studio to educational processes. In particular, by looking at the how the material space of the studio is discussed and conceptualised in the literature on art, design and architecture education. This study extends the idea of ‘learning together’. Moving beyond the ‘heroics’ and flesh and blood of ‘expert’ tutors and students. It considers how the studio itself is part of the process of learning together.