AESTHETIC AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING IN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION

Abstract

This study explores the importance of aesthetic awareness and understanding in architectural training and examines how aesthetic training is conducted at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Data were collected from documents and semi-structured interviews with students in their final year of study, as well as from interviews with faculty. Given the many ramifications and aspects of aesthetic awareness and understanding, the focus of the interviews was narrowed down to three attributes: abstraction, composition and cultural appreciation. The primary methodological approach is the content analysis of data from transcribed interviews, along with examinations of the past and present curricula and of the aptitude tests used for admission to the NUS. Three predominant issues surrounding aesthetic awareness and its training were found: implicitness, reflection, and integration.