Edinburgh Napier University

  The built environment plays a significant role in shaping users’ behaviour and has an impact on their comfort and satisfaction. Of particular interest, the conditions of the built environment in educational places significantly affect the process of teaching and learning. In architectural education, design studios at the heart of any college of architecture. They are places where students spend most of their time nurturing their design skills, growing their imagination, interacting with their colleagues and tutors, producing, and exhibiting their projects. Therefore, special attention should be given to these places in terms of physical design characteristics and layout. Previous research on architectural design studios focused on the curriculum and methods of teaching, as well as the culture of the architectural studio. However, research on physical design and its impact on student satisfaction and performance is scarce. Psychological aspects of these spaces need further investigation. This study aims to evaluate the design studio environment in public and private universities in Jordan. A survey was distributed in six architectural departments to evaluate student satisfaction. Each department is analysed in terms of the spatial layout, accessibility and physical characteristics of the studios. The evaluation criteria adopted a modified version of Guerin's theoretical framework that addresses the built environment in terms of its physical, behavioural and natural criteria. The results showed a moderate satisfaction levels in general and significant differences regarding the level of satisfaction in public and private universities.