An experience on analogy and metaphor: Creative design tools to increase students’ creativities

Abstract

There is a consensus that form borrowing and visual metaphor inspire architects. Traditional architecture like other design domain grow on the absence of non-visual features and architects tend to think, know and work in visual way. The aim of this paper is to indicate the capability of a design approach based on the usage of analogy and metaphors to increase architecture students creativities on the first year. What is unique on this experience is the usage of abstract concepts instead of images. During four weeks, students experienced to find a design solution to the following question: “Do abstract concepts and geometrical shapes  (euclidian and non-euclidian) and colors may influence architect? Instead of visual images as reference forms they tried to use verbal stimuli. Then, by using these verbal stimuli, they created three dimentional model. This studio-based experience showed us that analogy and metaphor are powerful tools to increase students’ creativity even visual stimuli were not used. Additionally, the tendancy to use haptic solutions are distinguished among the students who have already performed sensory perception. 
 
Keywords: Analogy, metaphor, abstract concepts, architecture, verbal stimuli.