CHANGING PERCEPTION OF HOUSING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: EVALUATIONS OF INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS

Aim: Pandemics have posed a threat to people and affected life throughout history. This study focuses on the experiences of the third and fourth year students of the Department of Interior Architecture and the common use area stakeholders regarding the pre-Covid-19 pandemic and the pandemic process. The aim of the study is to observe whether the future designers' awareness of the changing spatial usage priorities of the house, the spatial problems that arise at different scales, and their professional sensitivities and predictions for the future of housing design. Method: Online face-to-face interviews were conducted with 25 participants selected from among the third and fourth year students of Eskişehir Technical University, Istanbul Technical University, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Marmara University and Hacettepe University Interior Architecture Departments. Case study, one of the qualitative research methods, was used in the study. All data collected through interviews and sketches were evaluated with descriptive analysis and five themes were created. Findings: In line with the opinions of the participants, it was understood that they saw the house as a "home" or "shelter" to which they were attached with a sense of belonging and trust. In addition, it has been observed that they need to reconsider the elements that affect the housing design and the relations with the immediate environment in a different way. Conclusion: It was concluded that the awareness of the interior architecture students, who are the designers of the future, about the changing spatial relations in the house, the spatial problems that emerged during the pandemic process, and their professional sensitivities and predictions for the future of housing design.