Considering the time architecture students spend at design studios, the significance of providing comfortable indoor thermal conditions in these buildings should be highlighted. Thermal comfort studies have gained this importance in recent years since this phenomenon is directly connected with
productivity and well-being of people, and energy conservation. Both weather extremes due to the current climate crisis and various design limitations of a learning space directly affect students’ health, comfort, and productivity. Especially in warm climates, heavy reliance on air conditioning units for
cooling causes environmental and economic consequences. This paper explores the thermal comfort level of students studying in a Mediterranean region in Turkey. It uses mixed methods, including (1) energy analysis; and (2) questionnaires and observations. Osmaniye Korkut Ata University, Department
of Interior Architecture and Environmental Design in Türkiye is selected as a case study. To understand the ventilation performance of an architecture studio, necessary analyses are performed using IES VE software. Several models were created to evaluate different natural ventilation scenarios: (1) no natural
ventilation;(2) ventilation with openings at full capacity; (3) night ventilation. Thus, comparisons among the scenarios were done by looking at indoor temperatures, relative humidity, and the percentage of dissatisfied users in this computational study. Students were also asked to fill out questionnaires related
to their thermal comfort levels and expectations. 114 valid responses were collected among 177 students. Feeding the pool of thermal comfort research in the region with the selected case study, this paper reveals the students’ thermal experiences, behavioral patterns, and expectations in their architectural studios.
The contribution of this paper will influence future research on the design of new educational facilities and the link between students’ thermal comfort and their academic performance. Also, findings will inform architects and researchers to promote healthier and more efficient educational spaces.