Pedagogical Innovation in Interior Architecture Education: Integrating a User-Experience Learning Model for Spatial Service Design

This study presents the results of comparative classroom research exploring pedagogical innovation in interior architecture education through two approaches: the conventional design studio model and a user-experience-based learning model.The research examined how different instructional modes shape students' design processes, learning outcomes, and capacity for innovation in experiential architecture and new service design.In the conventional approach, students typically follow a linear process, beginning with site or user research, gathering requirements, and programming before developing design proposals.While effective for cultivating technical and creative skills, this process often privileges form and representation over the lived experiences of users.By contrast, the user-experience-based model required students to begin with experiential inquiry into user needs, unmet expectations, behaviors, and emotions.Reframing the design process around user insights encouraged students to move beyond conventional problem-solving toward empathetic and reflective design thinking.Both approaches produced aesthetically strong outcomes; however, the latter generated designs enriched with experiential architectural qualities, innovative spatial programming, and service-oriented solutions that integrated offline and online experiences.The research sample consisted of 18 third-year interior architecture students who engaged in both models through a flagship store design project.Their outcomes were compared in terms of technical skills, reflective insights, and the originality of their proposals.Findings suggest that while conventional pedagogy reinforces established competencies, user-experience-based learning represents a significant pedagogical innovation that cultivates empathy, adaptability, and leadership.These insights highlight the value of user-focused teaching models in advancing interior architecture curricula.