Multidisciplinary Perspectives On Creativity And Perception Ehab Nasr Elden Ahmed Mohamed Department of Architectural – Faculty of Engineering… [301553]

[anonimizat] – [anonimizat] – Egypt.

[anonimizat]

Abstract

Creativity is the act of turning new and an imaginative idea into reality. ‘’Imagination’’ is an important basic skill of architectural design educational foundation; it is aiding architects to innovate creative products. Therefore, [anonimizat]’s more helpful for creativity in architecture design. The study discusses how to use the ‘’Imagination’’ [anonimizat]. Digital architecture role in improving these tools and the relationship between imagination and architect's creativity, thought to generate quality innovative projects. This study is examining how digital visualization processes and technologies are affecting architects' [anonimizat] ‘’Digital Architecture’’. Almost all of the educational foundations in Egypt are without any valuable educational materials and courses supporting the student's [anonimizat] ‘’Digital Architecture’’ practice courses. This study also aims to suggest new educational courses for preparing architecture students to deal with the invisible aspects through imagination for achieving creative products in the design process.

Keywords: Imaginative; Creativity; Architectural design; Digital Architecture; Virtual Reality.

INTRODUCTION

Imagination is considered as a [anonimizat]. It uses the concepts and observations of the Preparation phase as raw material for creative mental associations (Chuck Frey,2015).

[anonimizat], [anonimizat], [anonimizat]. ‘’Imagination’’ played a [anonimizat]. The human race imagination attempted to fill in the blanks of knowledge from its own fictions for explaining and justifying. ‘’Imagination’’ requires a [anonimizat] ‘’Imagination’’ [anonimizat]. Thus, designing is looked at as an individual creativity. ‘’Imagination’’ has a significant role in knowledge production and a force for stimulating the cultural and cognitive experiences. It allows retrieving the emotions and feelings emanating from the experience. Also, [anonimizat], co-ordinates and formulates them into new figures.

During the ‘’Imagination’’ process, [anonimizat], distorts and devolves to reach a new image in the mind while being associated with past experiences and events. It has an important role in the thinking process and generating new ideas. [anonimizat], ‘’Creativity’’ cannot be achieved in isolation from the imagination, therefor thought and imagination are considered of the most important requirements for the creation process in architectural design.

‘’Cerebration’’ in the field of arts generally, and architecture particularly, differs than that of all other sciences for its ultimate need for creativity in the artistic or architectural projects, where a major part of the thinking process is not subject to realistic logical thinking. It is rather subject to the architect’s imagination in order to represent and generate many innovative ideas that require development to reach ‘’Realism’’. ‘’Imagination’’ is an absolute requirement for each and every architect, So Popularity of ‘’Iconic’’ buildings is a major proof of the architect’s imagination vogue, in which without, those buildings could have not been designed and deeply seated in the public mind through ages.

Contemporary architectural academic community is disappointed by the fainted artistic levels of architecture students – especially thought and imagination skills – as a proof of the power of imagination absence. This research has been inspired by the professors’ periodic discussions and the architectural educational relevant process.

Research Problem

The majority of architecture students and graduates are not employing the imaginative talent efficiently to generate creative and innovative ideas through the architectural design different stages, which require more than a single architectural alternative.

As per the researcher experience (academic and applied), some aspects of this monitored inefficiency can be summarized as follows:

Inability to provide multiple design concepts for the project initially.

Unable to compile multiple alternatives for the architectural formation internally and externally.

The project blocks composition and their relation and connection to each other are not fully visualized or comprehended.

The current ‘’Computer Applications’’ courses are not sufficient to stimulate ‘’Imagination’’

Research methodology

The study follows a deductive approach through analyzing the academic circumstances and contents for a sample from the Egyptian distinctive universities_undergraduate_ in order to comprehend the courses associated with ‘’Digital Architecture’’. It also attempts to show far do these courses contribute to stimulating ‘’Imagination’’ for architecture students and if they are convenient for supporting creativity and innovation in architectural projects and designs.

It also follows an exploratory approach to discover the research problems various aspects and explore the validity of the study assumptions for some of the commands that provoke and stimulate architecture students ‘’Imagination’’.

A questionnaire was introduced to a sample of architects and architecture students to discover how valuable are ‘’Computer Application’’ courses in supporting the ‘’Imagination’’ talent and the creative process for the architectural design.

Research queries

The study attempts to answer the following questions:

Definition of ‘’Imagination’’ and its importance for architects. What are its tools?

What is the relation between ‘’Imagination’’ and ‘’Creativity’’?

What is the relation between ‘’Imagination’’, ‘’Digital Architecture’’ and ‘’Virtual Reality’’?

Are the current ‘’Computer Application’’ courses in the Egyptian universities aiding in supporting and stimulating ‘’Imagination’’ for architecture students?

Does selecting ‘’Scamper’’ method and the correlated proposed commands and events may assist in providing innovative alternatives for architectural designs through stimulating ‘’Imagination’’?

Are the proposed commands and acts by the study helpful for enhancing the architectural designs innovation and creativity?

imagination and creativity

By observing architecture movement’s history through different eras, it is found that ‘’Imagination’’ has a significant impact on the culture’s progress emerging from its manifestations on the architectural design. A successful architecture role is reanimating the logical fictions into reality where sometimes a hidden motive or purport may aid in the imagination process. Scientific technical progress impacted significantly the development of digital computers which assisted in turning the fictional world into a virtual world to be materialized into reality in the physical world.

Creativeness and success require distinctive capabilities according to the field of specialty. Creativeness in architecture requires an ultimate level of imagination as a catalyst and support to the thinking capability. It is common, in many countries, to measure certain skills – mainly ‘’Imagination’’ – required for the architecture students through tests and quizzes. Regretfully, such skills are not measured by the majority of the Egyptian architectural departments. On the contrary, students acceptance is acquired in accordance with a hierarchy of the total scores achieved in subjects unrelated to architecture and without considering their interests or abilities when it comes to the matters of imagination, thought and perception.

Imagination definition

Many researchers are reluctant when it comes to specifically define for the word ‘’Imagination’’ for the ambiguity of this talent, and for its relationships with the mind, soul and spirit forces. However, there is a general agreement that it is an internal inventive power –Spiritual or Sublime – able to perceive many images, tangible objects and situations and then revision them again in the mind without actually visioning them. It is a strength that alters the individuals from dealing with the common and prevailing to formation with own willingness, and expressing their aspirations which cannot be achieved actually in reality. Sensation and perception have a great role in imagination creativity, whilst imagination itself is considered an endowment and mental skill indispensable for each and every contriver and thinker (Fouad Zakaria, 1978). Mental images created by imagination are actually alteration, transformation, modification, demolition and construction in accordance with the flow of time moments till it is an actual production that exists in reality (Ali Mohammed H. A., 2012).

Aristotle was the first to speak of ‘’Imagination’’, describing it as no thinking without images or pictures_ referring to the imagination_. He is considered one of the early pioneers who gave ‘’Imagination’’ a key role in forming knowledge and thought (Marwan Ahmed, 2010).

‘’Albert Einstein’’ stated that ‘’Imagination is more important than knowledge’’ (Paul E. Plsek, 1997); (Paul E. Plsek & Associates, Inc., 1997). And ‘’ Shakespeare’’ pointed out that ‘’Imagination makes man the paragon of animals’’ (Paul E. Plsek, 1997); (Paul E. Plsek & Associates, Inc., 2001).

‘’Imagination’’ is a distinct propositional attitude (Shaun Nichols, 2006). (While engaging with a fiction, daydreaming, contemplating, etc..). The Imagination phase is the heart of the ‘’Directed Creativity Cycle’’. It is what people are usually referring to when they talk about creative thinking (Paul E. Plsek & Associates, Inc., 2001), shaker Abdel Hamid mention that "The imagination is a record of the ability of human creativity, which has developed through history" Shaker Abdel Hamid Soliman, 2009).

Noteworthy, experimental and cognitive psychology researchers paid a great attention to the imagination and its connection with thinking and cognitive processes such as memorizing and attentiveness. ‘’Imagination’’ is a mental and psychological activity that an individual may avail of, to gain new experiences and ideas, through which, a composition and integration between memory components, perception and mental pictures formed through previous experiences takes place. The outcome is new and unconventional mental figures and forms.

Thus, ‘’Imagination’’ definition can be deduced as: The individual’s internal mental activity and force that recalls and retrieves forms and visions of past contents acquired in the memory to produce new and creative thoughts, forms and constructions see Figure 1.

Figure 1. ‘’Imagination’’ stages and aspects. (Source: Author, 2015).

Importance of imagination

The importance of imagination in the following:

Connections with creative ideas.

Changing to new thought to escape the current thinking of our Architectural Design problem_ thinking outside the box).

Escaping premature judgment and the desire to satisfy (Paul E. Plsek & Associates, Inc., 2001).

Moving flexibly in thought through connected mental valleys (Paul E. Plsek & Associates, Inc., 2001).

Exploring the old experiences to generate a multiple alternative idea.

Proceeding more connections between architectural elements to even alternative concepts.

Helping to generate ideas and Development its for more processing.

Organizing and A powerful tool for displaying ideas.

Creating ideas that we could act on very quickly.

Integration between personality and personal preferences, motive, intelligence, talent and means of self-realization.

Imagination resources in architectural design

There Are a numerous of imagination resources in architectural design such as: Media, nature, social communication and architectural products and the most important are the following:

Abstraction: through modifying the formation elements geometrically.

The formal imitation of nature: either by imitating directly natural forms or imitating forms derived from nature formations.

Design using digital computers: which includes designing using artificial intelligence programming to achieve a ‘’Virtual Reality’’ on the computer and subsequently reaching advanced architectural solutions.

Imagination tools: architectural concept

Imagination is an important part of preparing the ideas process which in turn has the greatest impact on the architectural design success. The objective of which is achieving distinctive and creative architectural products. Therefore, Imagination is unlimited for what it can achieve and a valuable educational tool.

The following are the imagination tools which helping to generate and develop ideas:

Brainstorming: It is considered as a classic rule for generating novel ideas and for stimulating the imagination. It is important for team work to exchange ideas and sharing it actively.

Sketch: It Provides mental starting points for imagination, photographs, videotapes, physical objects, doodles, and drawings, also provides mental starting points for imagination.

Technology: One of the most important tools, providing several means to stimulate the imagination as in ‘’Digital Architecture’’ and ‘’Virtual Reality’’.

Organizing and Displaying Ideas: (Paul E. Plsek & Associates, Inc., 2001) This leads to generating creative ideas through means of graphs, diagrams and mental maps.

Combining alternatives: Combining more than one alternative with different dimensions as in merging ideas from ‘’Sketching’’ with those of ‘’Digital Architecture’’

Thinking outside the box: An attempt to think out of the boundaries of time and space.

Exciting and simulating imagination: Providing a cornerstone for unleashing imagination through media, World Wide Web and compact disc's contents; it also includes actions and orders simulating imagination unlike attitudes, relations, assumptions and processes.

Using Analogies: (Paul E. Plsek & Associates, Inc., 2001) Measurement is an imagination tool that can be accomplished from a journey, tour or a certain incident.

Relationship between imagination and creativity

Recent studies indicate the importance of introducing the imagination and creativity concepts into the learning and educational practices, especially in arts and science fields (Shaker Abdel Hamid S., Abd Elateef K., 2000), where ‘’Imagination’’ is considered the technology and science creative leader.

‘’Imagination’’ model subject to laws –an expression that may show an apparent contradiction- and close to reality is the model closest to creativity; it is oriented to an objective that is mostly a solution to a specific problem or an attempt to gain access to new creative ideas through a stockpile of memory pictures, perception and thoughts.

Training that is oriented towards provoking imagination, leads to improving the level of fluency, flexibility, originality and other creative abilities (Khatena, j., 1987).

Several studies have pointed to the importance of mental images in distinctive mental activities such as imagination and creativity, and showed that perceiving, memorizing, expecting and imagining capability are the main aspects.

‘’Thompson’’ also noted the importance of the mental activity of stimulating and activating all the potential abilities of imagination and fiction in enriching the creativity process (Shaker Abdel Hamid S., Abd Elateef K., 2000), “Khatena’’ – a researcher in ‘’Fictional Images’’ field – would see ‘’Imagination’’ as a chemical process of a mental procedure, where the intellectual and emotional forces interact and contribute in activating attentiveness, energy and innovative project creation (Khatena, j., 1987).

An important study conducted by ‘’G.R.Schmeidler’’ to reveal the connection between fictional images and creativity; he concluded the existence of a positive correlation between fictional images and creativity where all students with high intelligence on visual images also scored high degrees on the creativity scale scores.

Thus, the research can conclude that: Imagination is a tool for creativity and innovation for Example see Figure 2.

Figure 2. Illustrating the ‘’Imagination’’ role in manipulating a cubic architectural form into a complex project through modulating the cube surfaces.

(Sources: http://www.arch2o.com/pucpr-dormitory-tom-wiscombe-design/).

Imagination, thinking and idea

Thinking is a mental process performed by the individual’s mind, driven by stimuli and motives, and stands in its path obstacles and problems. This process enables the individual to create a model which is an idea that achieves his goals. ‘’Imagination’’ is the major pillar in thought and the mental process. Without imagination, this process and related creativity cannot be achieved. Shaker Abdel Hamid stated that ''thinking most generally, any covert cognitive o mental manipulation of ideas, images, symbols, words, memories, concepts, precepts, beliefs or intentions (Shaker Abdel Hamid Soliman. 2005); this definition makes the stronger connection between thinking and imagination represented in images, memories, etc…..

Imagination and architecture character

A successful, developing and creative architectural character utilizes a rich and wild imagination to express her/his dreams. ‘’Imagination’’ establishes and enriches the mental image while personal and spiritual experiences are influenced and affecting her/his ‘’Imagination'' (Ehab Nasr Elden A., 2014).

Imagination stimulators

Visualization process depends on the memory reservoir and the memorizing mechanisms for retrieving the information accumulated by the architect in his memory which to be correlated with new forms of the present see Figure 2. Enriching the mental images triggers the imagination through frequent reading, access to diverse architectural publications and references, national and global competitions, the ability to examine and contemplate the surrounding environment, searching for new experiences and exploring of all that mysterious, new and conflicting. In addition, communicating with people who share the same interest and fictional thinking.

In order to stimulate the imagination, and as a strategy, the individual should develop the three-dimension imagination capabilities and spatial thinking. One of the most important architectural design process standards is resolving the design associated problems in a visuospatial way_Three dimensions_. ‘’Real’’ and ‘’Virtual’’ models are some of the most efficient tools for stimulating ‘’Imagination’’ and great aid in developing his ability for positive imagination see Table 1.

Table 1: Digital and real models are important imagination stimulators. (Left) Finrprint building in Thailand as example for digital model (Source: http://s2.picofile.com/file/7245596234/fingerprint_office.jpg); (Right)Helwan architectural student project as example for real model‘’maquettes’’ (Source: Photography by Author, 2015).

Imagination versus traditional

‘’Deconstructivism’’ is the architectural movement in which ‘’Imagination’’ is playing the main role in its productions and architectural projects. This movement rejects the traditional architectural common familiar bases. ‘’Zaha Hadid’’ is considered one of the ‘’Deconstructivism’’ pioneers and one of the most popular, optimist, attracting and realistic. She converted fiction into reality through ‘’Floating building’’, and through web and shells structures.

In all of the contemporary architecture movements, great astounding designs have been presented and supported by the digital computing techniques. A remarkable example on that: ‘’Frank Gehry’’ desire to develop new techniques that can aid him fulfilling his complex designs in regards to the form, shape, void and construction.

One of prominent architects, ‘’Patrik Schumacher’’ (Basma Abdallah Uraiqat’s, 2009), in ‘’Zaha Hadid’’ architect office has classified her works into two categories: before and after the digital technology. The first category is designs and sketches that could not be implemented due to the absence of the necessary digital programs and software. With the new era of design programs by late eighties and early nineties, it was made possible to interpret some of those projects into simple digital models. At that stage, computers were only a drawing and presentation tool and the actual design was still accomplished through drawings and ‘’maquettes’’. Advanced and complicated computer-aided programs were developed by the late nineties which can process complex organic and fragmental shapes. That allowed digital designs with complex curves and structures to be achieved and new building forms appeared. However, ‘’ Schumacher’’ confirms that computer means are only presentation tools for ideas and designs pre-existed already but were unable to be implemented. This process is called ‘’Dialectic Amplification’’, where the designed project urges developing new tools while the new tools, at the same time, develop and stimulate the designed product.

Digital architecture

‘’Digital Architecture’’ is defined as a new type of architecture and engineering produced by digital technologies (computers). Thus, firms and design professionals invest on workstations, software, and training to use these applications efficiently (Ehab Nasr E. A., 2014).

Accompanied by an emerging new approach in the forms and functions, ‘’Digital Architecture’’ utilizes computer models, simulation, programming and images for creating the material architectural model (Ehab Nasr E. A., 2014).

‘’Digital Architecture’’ is the modern language of contemporary architecture. Architects can easily construct digital models – not merely a project presentation tool – with the aid of ‘’Three-Dimensional Modelling’’ programs, which also became an important designing tool used by many architects to develop, test and implement their designs.

Due to the flexibility offered by the digital programs that matches the clay’s elasticity and accuracy provided by the computer, achieving unconventional spatial designs is possible, which was not an option before _fulfilling the imagination through computers_. It is possible to manipulate and modify a simple shape of a cube – rotating one corner while fixing others (twisting), dislocates one side or withdraws one part – to produce unconventional sculptural blocks which stretches the designer’s imagination scope and allows him to experiment the blocks relations from different angles and modifies them whenever required.

Figure 3. Some of the ‘’Deconstructivism’’ movement pioneers work that demonstrate the computer’s role in unleashing unlimited imagination. (Left) Hotel  Marques de riscal designed by ‘’Frank Gehry’’ (Sources:http://www.koolrooms.com/images/photos/Marques-de-Riscal-8.jpg); (Middle) New central chinese television headquarters, designed by ‘’Rem Koolhaas’’ (Sources: http://larryspeck.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2012-39996.jpg); (Right) Tokyo olympic stadium designed by ‘’Zaha Hadid’’(Source: http://www.sportsfeatures.com/PressPoint/images/49796-olympic-image1.jpg).

There are plenty of projects that would have not be designed without the ‘’Three-Dimensional Modelling’’ software as shown on Figure 3. For ‘’Frank Gehry’’, ‘’Rem Koolhaas’’ and ‘’Zaha Hadid’’ projects. Also, computer-aided designs granting access to visualize the project true colours and materials to have a realistic vision of the architectural design.

Virtual reality (VR)

‘’Virtual Reality’’ feature interaction; it allows controlling and monitoring of events in the interaction environment and the reactions represented by simulating the environment and human responses. Virtual Reality is a technology that replaces sensory input derived from the real world with sensory input created by computer simulation. VR helps in teaching by providing an environment that allows the users to experience scenarios and situations (Wael A. Abdelhameed, 2013). This in return, stimulates the architecture student’s imagination which enriches the designing process.

Virtual reality as an contemporary imagination tool

It is the latest modern solution to view architectural projects in motion and the spectator experience as an animation. It differs in that the spectator can interact with the three dimension images before him; s/he can determine her/his points and angels of view, navigate freely inside the project, turn left or right, try different colours and touch the walls and floors to have the feeling and sense of the finishing materials whether a course or fine.

‘’Virtual Reality’’ is developed continuously and the supporting technologies correlated, although quite expensive, are in progress in order to provide the spectator a sense of realism and not only a digital image.

One of the common methods is wearing special glasses connected to the computer that demonstrates stereoscopic moving images for the building on two normal size screens in proportion to the human size, which provides a deeper sense and feeling of the building far greater than the flat image exhibited on normal screen. The glasses comprise a ‘’Sensor’’ that can detect the eye movement and displays the presupposed images accordingly in the direction and angle of sight.

Noteworthy, some of the western universities are experimenting with ‘’Virtual Design Studio’’; a virtual studio for architectural designing where more than one student from different universities can participate in designing one project through internet connection. Also, they can review each other’s works, discuss the design, ideas and the project development. In addition, professors can access the projects for evaluation, observation, providing comments and project’s arbitration remotely, as well as establishing a jury from around the world.

When an architect utilizes computers in the design and representation process, a dual connection known as ‘’Coupled Cognitive System’’ is created where exchanging information and ideas between the designer and the tool takes place. All of the system elements are influenced by each other that a single change in one element will lead to a change in others, thus any alteration of the ideas or the computer leads to a great modification in the final product.

‘’Virtual Reality’’ researchers have worked toward making it an effective tool for design creation and design exploration (Wael A. Abdelhameed, 2013), which indicates the ‘’Virtual Reality’’ importance as a digital and technological tool of a great assistance for stimulating ‘’Imagination’’.

Research discussion

In the fields of art, poetry and literature, the artist may calls upon imagination, conjecture and inspiration rather than logical thinking, and may believe that these forces are directing her/him as the logical reasoning is incapable of providing the proper means required for an artistic or literature work. (Fouad Zakaria, 1978).

Architecture and Urbanism are utilitarian formational visual forces as well as being expressional aesthetic one. Hence, the architect has to utilize her/his imagination, fiction and thoughts along with own philosophy and beliefs (Hisham G. Abusaada, 2010). ‘’Imagination’’ inspires the architect with ingenious perceptions and assists in composing images that motivate creativity and innovation. ‘’Imagination’’ workspace in the architectural product is inherent in each architect self-perception, and it provides the architect with ultimate with the ultimate power required to design distinctive and creative buildings.

The architectural product is characterized as a product of science and art. Architects have to stimulate the imagination talent with each new project. Their thinking and imagination have to be free and at large while associating them to a realistic problem and specific situation _ Subject to laws imagination_.

Digital design technology has facilitated the design representation and architectural drawing which was carried out, before the appearance of such technology, through manual means. The great impact of this technology is not only on drawing or expressing the ideas, rather it impacts the design process itself. These programs are provided with several data entries and different types of information to coordinate between them and produce streamlined and consistent forms without specifying a particular job for them. Thus, it is made possible to create organic and dynamic shapes in an organized and precise manner which contributed to implement successfully those forms and ideas from the designer’s imagination into reality.

These forms are generated from information on the environment or another source of factors that may affect the design by turning them into equations or graphs and then implementing them on the design to alter the final outcome. All this has led to produce new architectural patterns and forms that did not exist before, such as: Blob, Folding, Deconstruction, Parametric and Digital.

The Egyptian scence

Computer programs were introduced to Egyptians students for architecture in the nineties with quite modest beginnings by learning the ‘’Basic’’ language principles to train them for building an exercise for recognizing some geometrical shapes surfaces and areas (as per the researcher actual experience). After a few years, and with the new millennium, the students learning regulations were developed to schedule the students for learning the computer components and Some features from‘’Microsoft Office’’such as word and Excel applications. These regulations evolved recently to express the needs of teaching ‘’2D’’ and ‘’3D’’ programs such as autocad, photoshop and 3dmax; however, they didn’t specify the required programs.

The below is a comparison between the latest regulations versions and schedules for architecture department students_ undergraduate_ in 3 major national universities: Cairo, Ain Shams and Helwan (Department of Architecture, Ain Shams Univeristy, 2003); (Department of Architecture, Cairo Univeristy, 2003); (Department of Architecture, Helwan Univeristy, 2003). see Table 2.

Table 2. Architecture courses and their achievement on developing and stimulating ‘’Imagination’’ Skill for architecture students in Egyptian universities (Source: Author as per analysis of national universities regulation).

Applied Study

This research is applying ‘’Scamper 7’’** methodology which is a general technique for sparking creativity and not directed to architecture particularly and The research is Inspired applied study from this Bob Eberle argument “Imaginative thought and expression require playing around with ideas, toying with responsibilities, and roaming around in the world of make-believe” (Bob Eberle, 2012); its directives are quite close to the architectural design principles. ‘’Scamper’’ technique consists of events (checklist) with idea-spurring general questions as general commands. Applying ‘’Scamper’’ technique in the architecture field by running a questionnaire for chosen projects directed to architects – academic and specialists – in Egypt has confirmed its usefulness. The research has concluded that most of those projects have been subject to one or more of ‘’Scamper’’ technique commands; That helps students imagine their projects in a completely new way.

** ‘’Scamper 7’’ is a useful creativity tool_ creative thinking technique_ that helps Students generate ideas for new products and services, or to improve existing ones; that stands for: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate and Reverse act. Students are challenged to think creatively to develop their power of imagination (Mind Tools Ltd, 2015)& (Bob Eberle, 2008).

Applying ‘’Scamper’’ methodology to gain access to creative ideas. This methodology depends on conversing and processing known and colloquial ideas into innovative and creative new ones. This study attempts to apply ‘’Scamper’’ method for stimulating ‘’Imagination’’ in developing architectural projects see Table 3.

Table 3. Applying ‘’Scamper’’ methodology for creative thinking on architectural projects to support imagination. (A) Emerson College (Source: http://i.archi.ru/i/156145.jpg); (B) Bahrain World Trade Center (Source: http://www.layoverguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Bahrain-World-Trade-Center-Manama.jpg); (C) Opera Sydney (Source: http://travelinnate.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Sydney-Opera-House-8.jpg); (D) Stone Tower (Source: http://www.bustler.net/images/uploads/052709_142340large.jpg); (E) McCormick Tribune Campus Center (Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/29/McCormick_Tribune_060304.jpg); (F) LOIOS Module (http://www.archdaily.com/564724/loios-recovery-odda/545b0967e58ece51b9000034_loios-recovery-odda_loios8-png/); (G) Habitat 67 Montreal (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_67#/media/File:Montreal_-_QC_-_Habitat67.jpg).

By implementing ‘’Scamper’’ methodology on the architectural projects in a questionnaire form for a sample of 32 architects, while concluding the importance of activating it in order to achieve diverse designs and alternatives, and searching for similar acts, the research aggregated the most correlated to architecture design principles as Table 4.

Table 4. Some of the commands that influence and stimulate the architectural imagination to produce creative and alternative designs. (a) The Headquarters of the Union of Romanian Architects (Source:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7e/House,_Headquarters_of_the_Union_of_Romanian_Architects.JPG); (b) Ninotsminda Border Checkpoint (Source:http://www.styleofdesign.com/architecture/residential/ninotsminda-border-checkpoint-by-luka-machablishvili/); (c) Dynamic Tower (Source: http://cdn.zoolvainterior.com/images/www.dubai-architecture.info/images/Brochure-Dubai_img_13.jpg); (d) Slovak Radio Building (Source: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3574/3281874718_2a4da5bb21_b.jpg); (e1) A-Kean university (Source: https://linetec.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/kean_university_4.jpg); (e2) Government Service Center(Source:http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3642/3355127660_2efef06802_b.jpg); (f) Burj Al Arab (Source: http://travelermap.ru/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/dubai_burj_al_arab1.jpg).

Results

The research has concluded the following:

‘’Imagination’’ is a tool for generating ideas and leads to exploring and inventing new means. No creativity without imagination which is an active skill of thought. (Supporting imagination in thought).

An Imagination should be seen as a critical skill in any innovative Architect designer_ undergraduate, Architect practice_.

Designing with digital software reflected great interest on architecture students and achieved tangible results – architectural project – through imagining and visualizing it.

By analyzing Table 2. For comparing the ‘’Computer Application’’ courses provided to architecture departments’ students in the Egyptian universities, the following is concluded:

Most of them do not support stimulating imagination for the students.

Their contents for ‘’Ain Shams university’’ are not matching the actual training for students with a severe deficiency of time devoted to practice.

The contents of ‘’Computer Application’’ courses for ‘’Helwan University’’ are matching the actual training for students with a severe deficiency of time devoted to practice under academic supervision and it is instructed in only 1 semester.

Serious shortcomings in the courses that assist and stimulate ‘’Imagination’’ in most of the architecture departments in terms of dedicated time for practicing and experienced academic team for supervision and direction. Absence of long term plans and future visions the cover the courses and their important role in the contemporary architecture.

Till present, no courses available to cover the ‘’Virtual Reality’’ subject in depth in the Egyptian universities for many reasons, but mostly financial.

Successfully implemented ‘’Scamper’’ 7 commands method to stimulate the ‘’Imagination’’ as well as the proposed commands by the study as per questionnaire results Figure 4.

Questionnaire results

A survey was conducted for architects and architecture students in Egyptian universities to conclude their opinions and perspectives on 2 scopes: Firstly, ‘’Computer Application’’ courses and their usefulness and their role in stimulating their ‘’Imagination’’ to achieve innovative solutions and alternatives for the architectural project. Secondly, the events and proposed commands by ‘’Scamper’’ and applied by the study to stimulate ‘’Imagination’’ to produce creative products.

A sample of 32 students representing 56% of whom are students of final year, and 28 professional architects. Personal interviews were held to explain the questionnaire and ‘’Scamper’’ methodology. Questionnaire results show the following: see Figure 4.

72% of the participants agreed that ‘’Computer Application’’ courses stimulate ‘’Imagination’’ for creative production.

83% of them confirmed the urgent need to modify and develop these courses.

51% of the professional architects confirmed the ultimate benefits of the proposed commands and events by the study in their work.

The majority encourages and supports the importance of the proposed commands and events by the study and the 7 actions of ‘’Scamper’’ method in stimulating the ‘’Imagination’’ to produce creative and innovating ideas and alternatives.

67% of the participants agreed that the proposed commands and events can be useful in a professional career.

Figure 4. Questionnaire results .

(Source: Author, 2015).

Recommendations

To encourage the imaginative skills for students and architects should based on the following:

Testing imaginative skills and talents should be a perquisite for students looking for joining architecture departments in Egyptian universities along with their abilities and their susceptibility to resolve problems associated with architectural designs.

Egyptian universities should attract adequate funds of institutions, establishments and private sector to finance implementing and training the students on ‘’Virtual Reality’’ programs.

Re-launch new and efficient courses directed towards stimulating imagination and digital architecture.

Training courses for graduated and professional architects should be provided to teach ‘’Imagination’’ stimulating.

Attempt to teach the events and proposed commands by the study in architectural theories and computer application courses.

References

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