SOCIALLY ORIENTED DESIGN IN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION AS A SPACE FOR SOCIAL GROWTH

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify the potential of socially oriented architectural design as a factor in the formation of value-based, moral, ethical and civil guidelines of future architects. The focus is on the pedagogical and design processes implemented within the educational design of socially significant facilities, in particular preschool institutions with integrated shelters, and their influence on the development of empathetic thinking, social responsibility and the understanding of architecture as a socially responsible activity among students. Research Methods. The interdisciplinary approach is applied in the study, which combines methods of architectural and compositional analysis, functional and planning analysis, psychological and pedagogical included observation, and the reflective analysis of the educational process. The empirical basis of the study consists of 125 second-year student projects completed during 2022–2025. Results. According to the results it can be stated that socially oriented educational design functions not only as a means of forming professional competencies but also as an important factor of moral and social development factor of the student’s personality. In most projects, the focus on children’s psychological comfort, integration of shelters into the structure of the educational space and strengthening of inclusive solutions is recorded. Students’ reflective self-assessments indicate a change in their attitude towards design activity from purely technical to socially and ethically responsible. Conclusions. Socially oriented educational architectural design under wartime conditions appears to become an effective educational tool and at the same time a space for the social growth of the future architect, within which empathetic thinking, responsibility and value-based attitudes towards the individual and society are formed. The obtained results may be used to update the educational programs of architectural faculties in the direction of strengthening the humanitarian component of professional training.