Ai as a Design Partner: Evaluating Its Role in Architectural Education through Student and Instructor Insights

Abstract

This study examines the role of artificial intelligence (AI) as a collaborative design partner in architectural education, particularly within a studio setting. Despite the increasing adoption of AI tools in design workflows, there is limited empirical evidence on how positioning AI as a collaborative design partner rather than a mere technical instrument affects student creativity, problem- solving, and the evolving digital design culture within the studio environment. Conducted during the Fall 2024-2025 term at Abdullah Gül University’s ARCA105: Design Practices Studio elective course, the research adopts a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, integrating quantitative and qualitative data collected through student surveys, instructor autoethnographic reflections, and final product evaluations. Findings reveal that AI significantly enhances process efficiency and early-stage ideation, while its contribution to architectural creativity and complex decision-making depends on students’ critical engagement and disciplinary reasoning. Triangulation of data sources highlights a perceptual gap between student optimism and instructor evaluations, underscoring the need for structured pedagogical guidance to harness AI’s potential without compromising core design competencies. The study contributes to ongoing debates on AI integration in design education. It offers recommendations for developing inclusive, critically mediated, and hybrid pedagogical models that position AI as a meaningful design partner in studio learning.