VIRTUAL MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY
Abstract
This paper investigates the use of the ROYGBIV exhibition (presented at Curtin University) as an innovative pedagogical tool in design and architecture education. The exhibition explored the role of colour in design and its innovative applications, enabling students to engage in a hands-on, reflective design process. Exhibition-related briefs were embedded into two first-year units, “Start Design Thinking” and “Sustainability and Structures in Architecture” to utilise design thinking and design research methods, applying theory into practice, and exploring the sensorial and climatic impacts of colour. As part of the curriculum, students developed promotional strategies and designed spatial experiences for the exhibition, which promoted experiential learning, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and broad feedback. Grounded in constructivist learning theory, the ROYGBIV exhibition provided authentic contexts for students to build and apply knowledge collaboratively while engaging with their close environment. This paper reflects on two cases: applying design thinking for the exhibition promotion and analysing how colour shapes spatial and climatic experience in architecture. The use of design thinking encouraged students to understand and engage with the audience, seeing the promotion as a means of connection; the architecture students responded with models and visual interpretations that translate architectural intention into sensorial experience. The process enabled students to step beyond traditional studio settings, connect with external audiences, and critically evaluate the effectiveness of their designs. The paper demonstrates that exhibitions, as pedagogical tools, foster reflection, dialogue, and experiential and cross-disciplinary learning, resulting in tangible outcomes that advance students’ professional development and understanding of design and architecture in action.
Dr Monika Lukowska-Appel is an artist, academic and researcher, working as a lecturer and Course Coordinator at Curtin University, Perth. She obtained her MA from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Wroclaw, Poland (2011), MFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, USA (2014) and PhD from Curtin University, Australia (2018). She teaches across a range of units, specialising in design thinking, design theory, and design history. Her research investigates themes of materiality of place, ecology, and human experience alongside the use of digital technologies in print media.
Dr Jo Li Tay is a designer, educator, and researcher based in Perth, WA. She worked across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors as a graphic designer for 10 years before making the switch to academic life. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (2002), Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education (2009), and a PhD (2019) from Curtin University. Her research interests include Aesthetics, Interactivity, Experience Design, Learning, and Design Thinking. She currently works as a senior lecturer at Curtin University and is an Associate Head of School at the School of Design and the Built Environment.
Dr Boon Lay Ong is a Senior Lecturer in Architecture at Curtin University whose work bridges ecological science and architectural design. He is best known for developing the Green Plot Ratio, an ecological metric adopted in urban planning and architectural design in Singapore. His research and publications explore thermal delight, biophilic design, and the sensory experience of architecture. With previous academic appointments in Singapore, Melbourne, and currently in Perth, he advocates for buildings that honour nature’s rhythms and foster human well-being.