Unit 2, 3: Design Thinking

Ar. Richa Mishra

Perspectives of Design Thinking
Ecologically Sensitive Design Solutions:
Ecologically sensitive design is an approach to architecture that seeks
to minimize the environmental impact of buildings while maximizing
their functionality and aesthetic appeal. Here are some basic
concepts that students should be introduced to in order to
understand ecologically sensitive design:

1.Sustainability
2.Circular Economy
3.Green Building Materials
4.Energy-Efficient Building Systems
Ecologically Sensitive Design Solutions:
Bullitt Center in Seattle, Washington
The Bullitt Center is a six-story, 50,000 square foot commercial office building
that was completed in 2013. It was designed to be one of the most sustainable
buildings in the world and has achieved certification under several leading green
building standards, including the Living Building Challenge, LEED Platinum, and
the Energy Star program.
Here are some of the features of the Bullitt Center that demonstrate ecologically
sensitive design:
1.Net-Zero Energy
2.Water Conservation
3.Sustainable Materials
4.Daylighting
5.Green Roof
Ecologically Sensitive Design Solutions:
 Empathetic Design Solutions:
Empathetic design solutions are an essential aspect of the design thinking process
in architecture. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of
others, and in design thinking, it involves developing an understanding of the
needs, wants, and emotions of the people who will use a building or space.
In the context of a design thinking course for Bachelor of Architecture students,
introducing empathetic design solutions involves the following:

1.User-Centered Design: Encouraging students to develop designs that are

centered around the needs and desires of the people who will use them. This
requires a deep understanding of the target audience and their specific needs.
2.Observation and Analysis: Teaching students how to observe and analyze the
behavior and needs of people in various contexts to inform their design decisions.
This could involve methods such as user interviews, surveys, and focus groups.
 Empathetic Design Solutions:
3. Iterative Design Process: Encouraging students to engage in an iterative design
process that involves continually testing and refining their designs based on
feedback from users. This process allows students to refine their designs to better
meet the needs of users.

4. Collaboration and Communication: Emphasizing the importance of collaboration

and communication in the design process, as empathetic design solutions require
input and feedback from a diverse range of stakeholders.

5. Emotional Design: Encouraging students to consider the emotional impact of

their designs on users. This could involve creating spaces that evoke positive
emotions, such as comfort and joy, or designing buildings that foster a sense of
community and connection.
Empathetic Design Solutions:
Example of empathetic design solutions in architecture is the Hennepin County
Medical Center's Whittier Clinic in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was designed to
cater to the needs of refugees and immigrants.

Here are some features of the Whittier Clinic that demonstrate empathetic design
solutions:
1.Multilingual Services
2.Culturally Sensitive Design
3.Accessibility
4.Community Engagement
5.Sensitivity to Trauma
Community Solutions:
Community solutions in architecture refer to design solutions that involve active
participation and engagement from the local community. These solutions are
intended to address community needs and challenges while also fostering a sense
of ownership and investment in the design process.

EXAMPLE: Participatory design involves engaging the local community in the design
process. This can include community meetings, workshops, and other forms of
collaboration that allow community members to share their ideas and
perspectives. An example of participatory design is the redesign of a public park in
Brooklyn, New York, which involved community members in the planning and
design process to ensure that the park reflected the needs and desires of the local
community.
Post COVID Considerations:
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the world,
including the field of architecture.
Here are some post-COVID considerations that architects may need to
take into account:

1.Health and Safety

2.Remote Work and Learning
3.Outdoor Spaces
4.Resilience and Adaptability
5.Equity and Access
Technological Inputs:

1.Digital tools
2.Virtual and augmented reality
3.Big data
4.Internet of Things
5.Artificial intelligence
Universal Design:
Universal Design is the design
and composition of an
environment so that it can be
accessed, understood and used
to the greatest extent possible
by all people regardless of their
age, size, ability or disability. An
environment (or any building,
product, or service in that
environment) should be
designed to meet the needs of
all people who wish to use it.
Universal Design:
Tools for Design Thinking
How to conduct Case study:
A case study is a tool commonly used in design thinking to gain a deeper understanding of a problem
or challenge by examining a real-world example. It involves analyzing a specific situation or scenario
to identify key issues, opportunities, and potential solutions.
Case studies can be used in various stages of the design thinking process, including the empathy
stage, where designers seek to understand the needs and experiences of the target users, and the
prototyping stage, where designers create and test potential solutions.
Here are some ways that case studies can be used as a tool for design thinking:
1.Understanding User Needs: By examining a case study, designers can gain insight into the needs
and preferences of the target users. They can analyze the user's behavior, motivations, and pain
points to develop a better understanding of how to create a solution that meets their needs.
2.Identifying Opportunities: Case studies can also be used to identify opportunities for innovation
and improvement. Designers can look for gaps in the existing solution and brainstorm new ideas to
address those gaps.
3.Creating Prototypes: Case studies can serve as a basis for creating prototypes. Designers can create
a physical or digital model based on the insights gained from the case study to test and refine
potential solutions.
4.Testing Solutions: Designers can use case studies to test their solutions in a real-world scenario.
They can gather feedback from users and adjust the solution accordingly.
How to do a survey:
Surveys are a tool commonly used in design thinking to gather information and insights from a large number
of people. Surveys can provide designers with valuable feedback on user needs, preferences, and pain
points.
Here are some ways that surveys can be used as a tool for design thinking:
1.Understanding User Needs: Surveys can be used to understand the needs and preferences of the target
users. Designers can ask questions about user behavior, motivations, and pain points to gain insight into
what users are looking for in a solution.
2.Identifying Opportunities: Surveys can also be used to identify opportunities for innovation and
improvement. Designers can ask questions about what users like and dislike about existing solutions and
gather ideas for new features or improvements.
3.Creating Personas: Surveys can be used to create detailed user personas. By collecting data on user
demographics, behavior, and needs, designers can create detailed profiles of their target users.
4.Testing Solutions: Surveys can be used to test potential solutions. Designers can gather feedback on
proposed solutions and make adjustments based on user feedback.
5.Evaluating Success: Surveys can also be used to evaluate the success of a design solution after it has been
implemented. Designers can gather feedback on how well the solution is meeting user needs and identify
areas for improvement.
 How to do research in Architecture:
Research in architecture can be conducted using a design thinking approach, which involves identifying a problem or challenge,
empathizing with the user, defining the problem, ideating solutions, prototyping, and testing. Here are some steps to conduct research in
architecture under the design thinking subject:
1.Identify the problem: Identify a problem or challenge related to architecture that you want to investigate. This could be a design
problem, construction issue, or any other challenge related to the built environment.
2.Empathize with the user: Conduct research to understand the needs and preferences of the user. This could involve interviews, surveys,
observations, or other methods to gain insights into how users interact with the built environment.
3.Define the problem: Define the problem based on your research findings. This could involve reframing the problem based on user needs
or identifying specific areas that need improvement.
4.Ideate solutions: Brainstorm potential solutions to the defined problem. This could involve generating a range of ideas, sketching out
possible solutions, or using other ideation techniques.
5.Prototype: Create a prototype of the proposed solution. This could involve creating physical models, digital models, or other types of
prototypes.
6.Test: Test the prototype with users to gather feedback and refine the solution. This could involve conducting user testing, focus groups,
or other methods to gather feedback from users.
7.Iterate: Based on the feedback gathered during testing, refine the solution and iterate the design. This may involve going back to earlier
stages of the design thinking process to refine the problem or generate new ideas.
Throughout the research process, it is important to stay open to new ideas and perspectives, and to continually test and refine the design
solution based on user feedback. By using a design thinking approach, you can create innovative and user-centered solutions to complex
problems in architecture.
How to strategize brief:
1.Identify the problem or challenge: Clearly define the problem or challenge that the project aims to address.
This could involve conducting research to understand the needs and pain points of the target audience.
2.Define the project scope: Clearly define the scope of the project, including the intended outcomes and
deliverables. This could involve setting specific goals and objectives for the project.
3.Determine the audience: Identify the target audience for the project and define their needs, preferences,
and pain points. This could involve creating user personas or conducting market research.
4.Consider the constraints: Consider any constraints that may impact the project, such as budget, timeline, and
available resources. This could involve conducting a feasibility study to determine what is possible given the
constraints.
5.Create a project plan: Develop a detailed project plan that outlines the steps required to achieve the project
goals. This could involve creating a timeline, identifying key milestones, and defining roles and responsibilities.
6.Define success metrics: Identify metrics for measuring the success of the project. This could involve setting
key performance indicators (KPIs) or other metrics to track progress and evaluate success.
7.Refine and iterate: Continuously refine and iterate the brief as the project progresses. This could involve
revisiting the project scope or adjusting the project plan as needed.
Thank you