THE ROLE OF ARCHITECT'S RATIONALITY IN THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

• Main Author: Widiarso, Tulus
• Format: Dissertations
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/67317
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

This study starts from the problem of conflicting expert opinions between those who place rationality as a factor to strengthen creativity and conversely as a factor inhibiting creativity. These problems trigger the researcher's desire to gain knowledge about how architects who produce extraordinary creative works build design rationality, which is expected to pave the way for deeper exploration of the phenomenon of creative rationality in architectural design practice. This research is a qualitative exploratory case study using the mental process of designing several architects as case studies, which aims to identify the phenomenon of architect rationality in the architectural design process. Conceptual design is the initial stage of the design process that has a major impact on the results, so researcher focus on exploring at that stage. The main data of the study is the transcript of the retrospective interview result of the architect's design process, analyzed using qualitative content analysis techniques. Many researchers on the cognitive process of designing architecture have been carried out but have only focused on thinking for design actions as solutions to architectural problems, not yet reaching the substance of the fundamental thinking that underlies design actions. This research is intended to fill that gap. The mental process of designing by an architect always involves rationality (rational processing) and sensitivity (emotional processing) in the proportions of various combinations. The proportion of the combination is more dominantly determined by the tendencies of the respective architects, as thinkers who are dominant with ratios or as sensor who are dominant in emotions. However, the contextual design problems encountered can also have an impact. In the mental process of conceptual design, architects must build rationality both to form beliefs in themselves and others, as well as for decision making. This study identifies several dimensions of architect's rationality in the formation of design beliefs such as normative acceptance beliefs, beliefs in expressing thoughts and beliefs in achieving goals, also in making design decisions such as decisions with logical reasons, decisions to achieve targets according to resources and decisions with thoughts references. In building design rationality, the architect's mind works by involving internal aspects that become his creative potential, both cognitive (such as the potential for complex thinking, alternative thinking, strong knowledge) and psychological (such as psychological potential related to interpersonal relationships, motivation, education). The architect's rationality in his work is also related to certain motivational dispositions, which are a combination of predispositions in building rationality of design beliefs and design decisions. The architect's creativity in designing is supported by two main pillars, namely motivation and self-potential which is formed from its internal aspects. The rationality of designing that was built by the architect contributed to stimulating the performance of the two main pillars. The construction process of rationality in designing will utilize the internal potential and motivation of the architect to be transformed into the driving energy of design creativity. The more complex rationality built, the more potential self is utilized to become creative energy. Likewise, the more complex the construction of rationality will clarify the predisposition and motivational disposition of the intended architectural design. In contrast to the results of previous studies which place motivation as the most important aspect of creativity, in the creative process of designing architects in this study, rationality and internal conditions play a more important role than motivation. The disposition of motivation as a determinant achievement of motivation is formed by the results of the rationality, and motivation is much influenced by internal conditions. To strengthen their rationality in creation, architects need certain cognitive readiness such as readiness for complex thinking, alternative thinking, and utilizing knowledge in memory. In addition, psychological readiness such as openness to build relationships, courage to take the initiative and sensitivity to capture learning from the environment also contribute to strengthening the rationality of architects to get creative. The rational process in creative design is part of the process that can be traced so that it is easier to learn. The description and conceptual model of architect's rationality in the conceptual design process produced by this research can be a breakthrough to accelerate the learning of architectural design creativity, especially in education. However, the results of this case study exploration have limited applicability so that further research is needed to improve and expand the scope of its applicability.