Experiences with digital teaching formats during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Department of Spatial Design at the Faculty of Architecture, RWTH Aachen University, as illustrated by the course Einführen in das Entwerfen (Introduction to Design)

Abstract

With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in Central Europe in March 2020, all of the courses offered by the Department of Spatial Design at the Faculty of Architecture, RWTH Aachen University up to that point immediately had to be converted into digital formats. How was this supposed to work in a discipline that is particularly characterized by analog work (drawings and models) and intensive exchange? The following text is a retrospective experience report describing the possibilities and limitations of digital formats in architectural education, using the course Einführen in das Entwerfen (Introduction to Design) as an example. After a brief outline of the module, both the analog teaching concept and its conversion to a digital teaching format during the COVID-19 pandemic are described. This is followed by a personal evaluation by the author about lessons learned and developments for the future of the course.