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In August we received the good news that the Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership project application named ”Confronting Wicked Problems: Adapting Architectural Education to the New Situation in Europe” received 285 000 Euros from the EU for a three year period. The European Association for Architectural Education (EAAE) and the Architects´ Council Europe (ACE) are partners in the project alongside eight European schools of architecture. The project is coordinated by the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (AHO).
Wicked problems in architectural education
The project´s point of departure is the acknowledgement that architecture as an education, a discipline and a profession has to redefine and release its potential for problem-solving and innovation within a new economic and societal context. This new normal implies that the knowledge basis, teaching methods and role models transferred in architectural education have to be adapted to a new reality. There is a strong demand for diversification both in architectural education and in practice.
Generally the project raises the question of how to teach architecture today in Europe, and especially how curriculum and teaching should be adapted to the new societal and professional situation. The project aims at strengthening the architectural graduates´ ability to face this new normal and thus improve their social impact and employability.
Think tank model
The project identifies three subtopics, or wicked problems, that will undergo investigation: (1) Teaching Architectural Design and Professional Knowledge (TADPK), (2) Sustainability and (3) Heritage. Three separate think tanks are set up to deal with each wicked problem. The think tanks involve partners from Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain and delegates from EAAE and ACE.
The think tanks will go directly into relevant architectural studios taking place at the participating schools. These will serve as local “teaching laboratories” where innovative practices will be tested and developed. The activities will be organized as different short term intensive programmes hosted by the participating schools for pilot projects and discussions.
The sustainability think tank will arrange three Sustainability Charettes where 5 students and 2 teachers from each participating school + 2 academics/teachers from EAAE and 2 professionals from ACE will participate.
The TADPK, and Heritage think tanks will arrange short term staff training events involving 2 teachers from the participating schools, 2 academics/teachers from EAAE and 2 professionals from ACE will participate. The TADPK think tank will put a special focus on addressing the needs of young architects in both the Northern and Southern contexts in education. The Heritage think tank will focus on each schools particular competence within architectural heritage; conservation, industrial heritage and adaptive re-use.
Based on the activities and experiences from the short term intensive programmes the think tanks will discuss pedagogical methods and structure of curriculum for teaching within the relevant fields.
What's in it for the members?
EAAE and ACE are active partners in the project, but do also serve as infrastructures for dissemination of the project results to relevant stakeholders in academia and profession. The project partners will produce Teaching Wicked Problems Reports that are distributed ahead of the annual EAAE event in August/September. The reports will also be published on EAAE´s and ACE´s websites, and in the EAAE yearbook. At the annual EAAE event the project partners will organize EAAE and ACE Academies; seminars/workshop based on the teaching wicked problems reports.
The work in the think tanks will add professional content to the annual event by creating conditions for broad discussions on how to teach architecture. Strengthening the EAAE´s position as a hub of resources for its member institutions, the project provides input to teaching methods, curriculum development and continuous professional development.
An important impact is also to establish closer bonds between ACE and EAAE through opening up several areas of cooperation and exchanging experience, expertise and networks.
Visit the EAAE website at: www.eaae.be
