Viewpoint A theoretical basis for recommending the use of design methodologies as teaching strategies in the design studio Terrence Curry, SJ, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China, School of Architecture, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands T he aim of this article is to provide a theo- retical basis to encourage the strategic use of design methodologies 1 as teaching strategies in the design studio. Learning to design is a developmental process where effective methods for approaching design problems evolve with increased knowledge and experience. Many design tutors, functioning as experts, make use of design methodologies that are developmentally mismatched with the way that students approach design problems at different stages. I propose that by understanding the cognitive theory and principles behind the acquisition of design exper- tise as a cumulative developmental/cognitive pro- cess, design education can be greatly enhanced (made more effective) by the introduction of developmentally appropriate design methodolo- gies as a teaching strategy at incremental stages of development. It is the goal of design education, among other things (including socializing, passing on standards of professional practice, technical knowledge, crit- ical thinking, civic responsibility, etc.), to facilitate the effective acquisition of design expertise. There are many contributing factors that influence how students learn to design. These include a student’s predisposition (aptitude) to design both as a disci- pline of study and as a specialized set of skills, the structure and quality of the design curriculum, the quality of the learning environment, level of moti- vation (resolve), teaching method/strategies, the ability and expertise of design instructors, and others. In this paper I am concerned with teaching method/strategies. My experience, after 25 years of teaching design at architecture schools in North America, Europe and Northeast Asia, is that architecture design tu- tors typically resist and often reject the value of introducing specific models of design methods as teaching strategies in the design studio. I believe that this resistance is well-intentioned, be- ing based on their years of experience and per- sonal reflection on how they approach design problems. Many argue that design cannot be codified, that there is no specific methodology that accurately describes how they design. They argue that design is not a step-by-step process Corresponding author: Terrence Curry currysj@mac.com 1 In this article design methodology is understood as the overall process leading to a design solution, whereas design methods are specific strategies used during the various stages of the design process. www.elsevier.com/locate/destud 0142-694X $ - see front matter Design Studies -- (2014) --e-- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2014.04.003 1 Ó 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Please cite this article in press as: Curry, T., , SJ, A theoretical basis for recommending the use of design methodologies as teaching strategies in the design studio, Design Studies (2014), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.destud.2014.04.003