Collaboration in architectural design studios: a document analysis of professional and institutional policies in Australia

Purpose Professional bodies worldwide mandate collaborative and teamwork skills for graduates; however, research on how these requirements translate into curriculum and teaching is limited. This paper aims to investigate how collaboration is conceptualised across professional, institutional and educational frameworks, and how these professional and institutional mandates are translated into the pedagogical structures of the architectural design studio. Design/methodology/approach Through a qualitative document analysis across five levels of the Australian architectural educational system, the study examined various documents, including the AACA's National Standard of Competency for Architects (NSCA), institutional strategic plans and graduate attributes, school websites, course outlines, and design studio briefs. These documents were assessed using thematic analysis to trace how the definition of collaboration is constructed and translated across different levels into studio teaching. Findings The findings show that collaboration is not a singular concept but a fluid term whose meaning shifts significantly as it moves from professional mandates to the pedagogical environment. The study also shows that these professional and institutional requirements are often diluted or absent as they are implemented in the studio curriculum. Essential collaborative mandates, such as Indigenous engagement, interdisciplinary teamwork, external stakeholder communication and interpersonal skill development, fail to materialise in actual studio teaching. Originality/value This research provides evidence of how collaborative competencies are translated into architectural studios. Furthermore, it offers an actionable roadmap for educators, program directors, institutions and accrediting bodies, providing targeted strategies to operationalise collaborative competencies in the design studio.