Evolution of Design Capabilities Under a Collaborative Structure: An Empirical Study of a University Art and Design Studio

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-553-9_81How to use a DOI?

Keywords

art and design studio; collaborative learning; graduate–undergraduate collaboration; design capability; design education

Abstract

This study investigates a university art and design studio to explore how a graduate–undergraduate collaborative model influences the development of design capabilities. Using 73 competition entries (2023–2025), a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative analysis and case studies examined work categories, competition levels, and award outcomes. Two IP designs and three poster projects were analyzed to trace changes in cultural expression and narrative structure. Results show that vertical collaboration enhances cultural depth, visual organization, and storytelling ability. The studio follows a “high-output training–low-output breakthrough” rhythm: intensive phases ensure stable productivity, while slower periods enable focused refinement and higher award rates. Overall, works evolved from symbolic representation to systematic cultural and narrative design, demonstrating the effectiveness of collaborative learning in improving studio-based design education.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Yousheng Yao
AU  - Junqi Zhan
AU  - Junpeng Zheng
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/03/25
TI  - Evolution of Design Capabilities Under a Collaborative Structure: An Empirical Study of a University Art and Design Studio
BT  - Proceedings of the 2025 4th International Conference on Educational Science and Social Culture (ESSC 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 744
EP  - 752
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-553-9_81
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-553-9_81
ID  - Yao2026
ER  -