The urban design studio: Staff intentions, student experiences, and lessons learned from Manchester Urban Design Lab, University of Manchester, UK

Abstract

The design studio is the cornerstone of technical applied urban design education – both as a physical space for students to learn within, and pedagogical philosophy for developing and delivering curriculum in higher education settings. A studio-based approach to urban design teaching must reflect the multi-faceted nature of the discipline - a challenge when the current field lacks a consolidated mandate – simulating real-world challenges and contexts and preparing students for the demands of practice. This article explores the pivotal role of the design studio at the University of Manchester (UoM) in shaping future urban designers - emphasizing its contribution to pedagogy, skill development, and nurturing a collaborative and supportive design culture that can extend beyond higher education into professional practice. The studio acts as an interactive and practical laboratory where theoretical knowledge is translated into practical application, where students can experiment, refine ideas, collaborate with peers and tutors, and learn to effectively communicate design visually and orally. The studio-based approach aims to develop technical competencies, cultivate critical thinking, and promote processes that deliver more contextually responsive, people-centered, high quality urban design solutions. The article considers how students (both UK based and international) within the Manchester Urban Design LAB at UoM perceive, and respond to, the studio-based approach during their 1-year dedicated MSc Urban Design program – highlighting their perspective that it instils a positive culture – shaped through the promotion of open dialogue, peer-critique, collective learning, and formative and summative design crits. It is however imperative that these spaces avoid several negative issues that have plagued studio approaches in fields such as architecture in recent years. This brings into focus the role of the academic/tutor in delivering studio that seeks to encourage creativity - where failure is framed as a learning opportunity with a culture of constructive feedback and mentorship at the heart of developing resilience and adaptability in students – as well as developing an appropriate curriculum that maximizes the studio environment. At MUD-Lab/UoM the design studio approach directly shaped, and currently supports, our bespoke framework for practicing urban design (Black et al., 2024) and sits at the very heart of our approach to education.