Critical pedagogy and the pluriversal design studio
Colin S. Gray
Abstract
Studio learning is central to the teaching of design. However, the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside emerging and historic critiques of studio ped-agogy, creates a space for critical engagement with the present and potential futures of design education in studio. In this paper, I outline historic critiques of studio pedagogy, drawing primarily from critical pedagogy literature to frame is-sues relating to disempowerment, student agency, and monolithic representa-tions of the student role and student development. I build upon this critical foundation to reimagine studio practices as pluriversal, recognizing the challeng-es and opportunities of bridging epistemological differences and facilitating the potential for pluralism in design curricula, our student experiences, and the fu-ture of design professions.