Examining Design Schemes and Curriculum Operations in International Urban Design Studios

International Urban Design Studios hold the potential to bridge national boundaries and encourage collaborative efforts. While they create unique design concepts and promote cross-cultural understanding, these studios face challenges such as unfamiliarity with target sites and the complexities of organizing field trips. Additionally, there is a lack of research and guidelines to improve curriculum operations. To address these gaps, this study analyzed design schemes and curriculum operations from the University of Seoul's (UOS) International Urban Design Studios in 2018 and 2019. Through a combination of literature review and quantitative methods, including Frequency and AHP analyses, this study offers refined guidance for future studios. These findings revealed there were variations in outcomes between 2018 and 2019. In 2018, the studio focused on masterplans based on field trips and cultural aspects, while in 2019, an emphasis was placed on smart city technologies, resulting in improved design schemes and final report quality. This suggests that even with the same target site, altering the curriculum's emphasis and approach can lead to different results. Also, through quantitative analysis, this study emphasizes the importance of effective coordination of cultural experiences, strengthening practical curriculum, and providing detailed information about the target site. However, it's important to note that this study has limitations, as it does not account for differences between countries and only examines the 2018 and 2019 sessions at UOS. Despite these constraints, this empirical study, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative methods, offers valuable insights that can guide international studios as they resume operations in the post-pandemic period.