The study investigates how discipline-specific, interdisciplinary, and transdisciplinary collaboration fosters criticality in architectural students, drawing on Barnett’s (2015) framework of critical reasoning, self-reflection, and action. It identifies a gap in understanding what role the different collaboration methods play in promoting criticality and not just promoting technically sound graduates, but socially just, critically aware graduates in the built environment. A comparative case study design was used to collect data across three architecture cohorts, each engaging with a different collaboration mode. Data were collected through student self-reflection narratives and analysed through a deductive process using Barnett’s framework.

In recent years, digital fabrication has become an increasingly popular tool in the design field. By integrating digital manufacturing techniques into the design process, designers can produce more innovative and sustainable products while minimising material waste. In this paper, we present a model of approach that incorporates digital fabrication into the prototyping of interior design products using Origami-based techniques. Origami, the antique art of paper folding, has long been admired for its beauty and precision. One of the main benefits of Origami-based techniques is that they provide a way to create complex forms using only simple folds, transforming a bi-dimensional surface into a 3D object.

This paper aims to propose and motivate further research in the sphere of Interior Design education in a private college environment in South Africa. The study focuses on finding strategies that motivate for student-staff partnership and collaborative learning in the theory subject of Critical Studies (CS) within a hybrid/online learning environment. The discussion takes the reader on a journey of analysis and discussion starting with traditional method of education and alternative pedagogies; the value of critical thinking skills in the twenty-first century and research based-education. The emphasis is on Critical Theory in Higher Education (HE) as a valuable drive in stimulating self-reflection that produces graduates that are contributing members to our society.