An Approach into Interior Design Studio Instruction via Metaphor Method

Rabia KÖSE DOĞAN

American Journal of Educational Research

An Approach into Interior Design Studio Instruction via Metaphor Method

Rabia KÖSE DOĞAN

Selcuk University Faculty of Fine Arts Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design Konya, Turkey

Abstract

While the perception of traditional museology rapidly changes into a perception of contemporary museology at our present day, the transformation process that has started all around the world, especially in city museums, also continues in Turkey, as well. The Library and Museum of Izzet Koyunoğlu, opened in Konya in 1984, is the first private museum established by municipalities in Turkey and includes many ethnographic and archaeological pieces. This building started to fade away as it stood more than 30 years time. A re-functioning project is prepared to do something about this cultural building, which became a problem in the city so far. For this purpose, the Library and Museum of İzzet Koyunoğlu is approached to transform it into Konya City Museum Project by four-year students that take Interior Design Project-7 Course during 2014-2015 Education Year Fall Semester in the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design in Faculty of Fine Arts, Konya Selcuk University. Metaphor method is used in project work. Projects are shaped around such concepts that the students defined as window to the past, tolerance, fusion, echo, looping, gravitation, contrast, iconia, neon and transparency. Students learn about the cultural inheritance of the city by this project research and also it attracts the attention of leading authorities, initiating the applications for the project. Project studies of students are exhibited in Koyunoğlu Museum and many conferences are held both in and out of the country. Functional transformation of the building has speeded up, creating awareness in this building that is under the process of fading away

Cite this article:

  • Rabia KÖSE DOĞAN. An Approach into Interior Design Studio Instruction via Metaphor Method. American Journal of Educational Research. Vol. 3, No. 9, 2015, pp 1180-1184. https://pubs.sciepub.com/education/3/9/19
  • DOĞAN, Rabia KÖSE. "An Approach into Interior Design Studio Instruction via Metaphor Method." American Journal of Educational Research 3.9 (2015): 1180-1184.
  • DOĞAN, R. K. (2015). An Approach into Interior Design Studio Instruction via Metaphor Method. American Journal of Educational Research, 3(9), 1180-1184.
  • DOĞAN, Rabia KÖSE. "An Approach into Interior Design Studio Instruction via Metaphor Method." American Journal of Educational Research 3, no. 9 (2015): 1180-1184.

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At a glance: Figures

1. Introduction

The perception of museology that rapidly develops and changes all around the world has made some differences in recent years. Although the purpose is to keep, protect and present the pieces in traditional museology, contemporary museology aims to let visitors experience the pieces via using interactive methods, to make connections among pieces, places and visitors and to offer trainings. This opportunity excludes museums to be a place from visiting only once and makes them a continuous place, leaving traces on the mind. In addition to Science, Technology, Ethnography, Archaeology, Architecture and Mosaic Museums, there are also City Museums that especially gained importance in recent years. Due to the importance of this matter, the number of City Museums has rapidly increased and these museums cover cultural values of previous periods, its social and geographical structure, its customs and traditions, living culture and important events that took place in the city. It is important to transfer the history to future generations in order to own a city.

At present, a museum can be described as an educational institution that reflects the scientific and cultural history of a society and combines the pieces that shape future with art and culture [1] When the methods of exhibition in the museums are taken into consideration, it is seen that it includes many elements in terms of making connections among items, space and audience. It should also include object-object, space-object and people-object connections by expanding this space and function connection, which is a determinant in museum design [2] The city museums that came forward at the end of 19th century and at the beginning of 20th century are being renewed and modified using different presentation techniques at our present day. First of all, the renewal processes of such city museums as London, Seoul, Bogota, Osaka, Sydney and Copenhagen are completed. Also, there is an ongoing renewal process in city museums located in Moscow, New York, Liverpool, Bristol, Rome, Singapore and Chicago. Especially municipalities in Turkey initiated first process on City Museums in 2000s. The main purpose of city museums is to give information about the history and past of a city. The planning period is a long and difficult process that requires many different disciplines to work together. First practices on city museums are initiated in Kastamonu, Kayseri, Bursa and Izmir and then kept on in Antalya, Samsun, Edirne, Mardin, Bartın, Safranbolu and Kızılcahamam. When designing these museums, ‘urban awareness’ is prioritized and the aim is to introduce the city values to local and foreign tourists [3]

According to Sözen, city museums function as educational institutions that are responsible for transferring our cultural identity from yesterday to the present and from the present to the future. Culture is social being that transfers the accumulations of history to the future, enriches the identity of a country, contributes to country development and promotes the common heritage of the world. Culture can only exist when it is enriched with transfers of every information, skill and experience from one generation to another. The most important means of this transfer is ‘education’ and besides being an important means in sustaining culture, education is also a milestone to create it [4] Museums are the leading actors in popularizing the cultural tourism and they also ensure the branding of cities [5]

Koyunoğlu Library and Museum is first special museum established by municipalities in Turkey. Museum building has an area of 3000 square and consists of a basement, ground floor, mezzanine floor and first floor. There are archaeological, ethnographic, folkloric belongings, materials and objects. In addition, it constitutes of calligraphy collection, library, archive, and conference hall [6].

Born in Konya in 1900, İzzet Koyunoğlu is an important character, who dedicated himself to collect, protect and hand down the next generations the ancient works. In 1973 he granted the works collected by him since 1913 to Konya Municipality with no thought of personal gain. Works were firstly exhibited in Koyunoğlu’s own home and later they were started to be exhibited in Museum and Library Building constructed under his name near Koyunoğlu Home in 1984. Works belonging to various periods are exhibited in the courtyard “İzzet Koyunoğlu, who lives on the principle of ‘protecting the historical artefacts at all costs’, has made the love of seeing artwork wherever it is and bringing it in the museum and library a way of life” [7].

Figure 1. The Koyunoglu Library and Museum Front and Interior Space View

No comprehensive work is done other than the repairs on this building, which became 30 in 2014. The structure started to wear off and could no longer meet the requirements of our present day. This building became ready for use again and the re-functioning project is prepared together with the importance stated by Konya Metropolitan Municipality and the awareness of people to do something about this problem of cultural building. In terms of this purpose, the Library and Museum of İzzet Koyunoğlu is approached to transform it into a project of Konya City Museum together with four-year students that take Interior Design Project-7 Course during 2014-2015 Education Year Fall Semester in the Department of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design in Faculty of Fine Arts, Konya Selcuk University.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Phase: Deciding on Project Scope and Researching

Before starting working on the project, a comprehensive visit is made to the Library and Museum of İzzet Koyunoğlu by the project team including a group of 30 students. The worn out functions and needs of the building are determined. Detailed interviews are made with museum manager, personnel and visitors. For about one month, students made research on the concept of museology, city museums, history of Konya, its geographical location, its sports activities, its cultural structure, its social life, its customs and traditions, living culture and the importance stated by Mevlana for this city and held presentation in their classrooms.

At research stage, students are given a list of requirements for re-functioning project, including entrance-fair area, temporary and permanent exhibition halls, library, archive, storage room, kid’s room, multi-purpose halls, management and personnel areas, cafeteria, souvenir shop and wet areas. Project scope also requires solutions for disabled users and transport solutions for them. Functional schemes are prepared after this stage.

In the book of Museums and Archives of City History, generally such large-scale buildings as previous town halls, municipality buildings or schools and buildings that lost their previous functions are chosen when deciding on physical spaces for city museums. After determining a good place for museum, its interior design is prepared. “When a historical building is chosen as a museum, it is organized for functionality and then its interior design is prepared.” The concept and scenario are important and instructive at this stage. Scenario includes which subjects will be covered in the museum and which subject will be covered to what extent. And the plan describes what will be used where and how and using which methods and tools, then starts the project designing process [8].

2.2. Phase: Determining the Method of Project Design

After the requirement list is given and function schemes are determined for the project, design stage starts. For Schön, learning process in studio makes the education of architecture and interior architecture private and privileged. [9] The method of metaphor was used in the project work. As Lakoff and Turner have described, the metaphors are tools to face with the person’s secret aspects and to discover his/her worldviews [10].

Metaphor word is derived from “metafora” word in Greek that means originally "to carry from one place to another place". Meta word that means “beyond” and “pherein” word that means to carry is combined and they are formed metaphor word. [11] Metaphor is a technique to teach the unknown things and also it is a tool, validation of which is proven, to keep in mind and remember the learned information. Metaphor method, in other words analogy, means to explain an unknown and strange phenomenon with known similar cases. While known state consists the resource and unknown state consists the target. Associations can be done from existing resources to achieve target [12].

Even if metaphor concept is assumed as adornment art of word, use of metaphor refers to a form of thinking and vision that helps us understanding the world. Researches carried out in various fields are shown that metaphor not only creates a formative influence on human’s self-expression skill but also creates a formative influence on the way of thinking, language and science. [13] But although they can be an important part of our language and our thoughts, we are not aware of them. Even when realizing this fact, we don’t think long and hard on their profound and vast meaning. [14].

Generating process the ideas by using the metaphor is called as "metaphorical thinking". Metaphorical thinking process consisting of various phases [15].

1. An abstract phenomenon (case, event, concept) whose explanation and interpretation are requested.

2- A concrete phenomenon (obvious) that is used to explain this phenomenon and linguistic expression of this phenomenon.

3- Specific similarities (analogies) established (fictionalized) between two cases in question.

In accordance with this process; a phenomenon, case or concept is determined to be analysed. This phenomenon, case or concept should have a depth and coverage that are convenience for metaphoric analysis. This phase is determined by investigator or authorized person who will fulfil the research. The second stage is related to individuals who participate in the research process. In this subject; deep, comprehensive and vast knowledge of individuals in concern with phenomenon, case or concept about which individuals must produce metaphor will be decisive. The nature of produced metaphors is related to this base. Also in the third stage, the reason of selection of this metaphor is clarified by individuals who participate in the research process and reasons of specific similarities established are asserted in a short way but deeply [16].

In a studio model to be created based on metaphors, it is assumed that forming of a design by the student as a reflection his or her own inner world will have a higher possibility compared to analysis - synthesis method. Design is a personal journey and a sense of discovery exercise. [17] Metaphors are tools to reach to these purposes. In interpretations made through metaphors, in fact interpreter interprets himself/herself [18].

Students have developed an insight using their own imagination about the museum. This insight enables students to direct the project using such concepts as window to the past, tolerance, fusion, echo, looping, gravitation, contrast, iconia, neon, transparency and outside-in flow. In addition to what these concepts let them feel, a scenario is prepared for the spatial fiction. According to this scenario, decisions have been made on the selected equipment and tools, colours, materials and lighting besides many other spatial components.

2.3. Phase: Project Running Stage

Project is defined to have a working scale of 1/100. Layout plan, basement floor plan, ground floor plan, mezzanine floor plan, first floor plan are studied with their furnishings and technical equipment. Four sections, front views, details sketches and visuals showing the whole interior space are required. These visuals are drawn using such programs as 3 dimensional free hand sketches, 3-ds max and sketch-up. A presentation-concept sheet is prepared for the projects and the spatial fiction prepared together with scenario and studies are delivered in a file and CD. In addition to project drawings, models are prepared to improve 3 dimensional perceptions of students and to see the connections between floors on a platform. Ten of the projects, selected among 30 projects in total, are given in the table with their project concepts.

2.4. Phase: Evaluating Results of the Study

The contribution of this project to the city is that this important building is now designed in a way to meet the requirements of people at our present day, giving users a chance to find solutions for new services, preventing it to fade away in time and leaving a trace in people’s mind by renewing this building that is older than 30 years.

3. Conclusions

Advantages obtained as a result of the project work carried out by metaphor method are as follows:

1. In interior architectural project design process, students developed their thinking abilities when learning a different method and thus strengthened their creativity skills.

2. While students shape their designs based on metaphorical concepts created by them, journey made by them to their inner worlds is reflected to their outer world.

3. Students gained the ability to develop a method, using concrete and abstract concepts that they created in project design the process.

4. Preparing the project design by means of benefitting from metaphor concept will set as an example for designers such as architect, interior and industrial product designer working in many areas.

5. This study has the ability to shed light to interdisciplinary and in-disciplinary studies done related to metaphor concept.

6. Different solutions are found for the design problem appeared in the same area.

7. Students' creativity, inspiration source, imagination and intuition powers are activated and unique solutions are produced by learned methods.

8. The design capability learned via this method has sufficient level to give direction to student’s career.

9. In the final delivery of projects, opening an exhibition in the project area increases the motivation of students to the profession and thus it is provided to reach the studies made to large mass of people.

10. The book describing the project and design process is in the preparation stage and it will have ability to be source work to transfer the project study and importance of the structure for future generations.

These projects are presented in World Conference Education Research in Athens in 5th February 2015 and contributed a lot into the introduction of city and its museum. Detailed information on selected project studies via the conference given at Koyunoğlu Museum lecture hall was given on 7 March 2015 and project exhibition was held in the museum area. Details of this exhibition and project work are shared in social media [19, 20].

Following the comprehensive studies made on the Library and Museum of İzzet Koyunoğlu, the importance given to this matter by Konya Metropolitan Municipality is increased and then student projects are selected and preparations for application process gains more speed. The repair work of museum is planned to start in summer months in 2015. Also, preparations are started to publish a book, compiled from student projects, by the municipality.

This project has become very successful in reaching its objectives in terms of designing this building of more than 30 years in a way to meet the needs of our present day, creating a chance to build a city museum in Konya, which is needed for a very long time, giving a new life to an important building in the city and letting people to re-discover their city by creating awareness with these projects.

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