Collective Memory of Individuals: The Case of Interior Design Education Buildings in Eskişehir

Abstract

Spaces—constituting one of the most concrete grounds where memory is produced and shaped—emerge as a significant factor in the formation of memory. In this context, the present study investigates the impact of conducting interior design education in different buildings over time in Eskişehir on memory. For this purpose, the study examines three different buildings where interior design education has been held consecutively: Faculty of Fine Arts building, the Mechanical Engineering Department building, and the School of Foreign Languages building. Research was structured using the phenomenological design, a qualitative research method. In this context, in-depth interviews conducted with 10 participants were analyzed and presented in table format. In order to ensure data diversity, both written and visual sources were reviewed; information regarding the years and buildings in which interior design education was conducted was gathered through official websites, institutional archives, and formal correspondence with relevant individuals. Findings reveal that spatial arrangements aligned with functional purposes facilitate meaning-making for users and leave more lasting impressions. This study makes a significant contribution to the literature on the memory-space relationship and offers a unique memory archive concerning interior design education in Eskişehir.