Revival of Disappearing Architectural Professions Erasmus Project

Project Title

Revival of Disappearing Architectural Professions

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Rural development and urbanisation; Reaching the policy level/dialogue with decision makers; Creativity and culture

Project Summary

The long-term objective of REDIAPRO’s partnership was a contribution to the forming of a small scale construction industry from traditional architectural professions, building customs and architecture-related handicrafts. The program made a suggestion for re-linking the former connections between handicrafts and architecture while providing a working model for the comeback of arts and crafts to the architectural thinking and contributing to the revival of the old and disappearing building traditions. The movement’s general aim is strengthening the local communities with preserving their unique culture and providing valuable professions, lifetime occupations locally, especially in rural and disadvantaged areas.

The program collected the most important disappearing architectural professions, building techniques and architecture-related crafts in the partner countries in order to conceive future strategies for them as part of the new workshop-based building industry. This aim was reached by a transnational research carried out through workshop activities held by the representatives, masters of the selected crafts. As part of these activities there were talks recorded and short films shot with the profession representatives showing their every-day work and their thoughts about the future possibilities. Based on the research a comprehensive study was published by the members of the consortium about the possible played roles by these crafts as part of the new branch of building industry with important modern-time requirements taken into consideration like ecological thinking and sustainability. The study and the collection of short films popularizing craftsmanship provide good basis for VET sector to change the current curriculum and to assemble new learning materials for new generations of craftspersons who are closely connected to constructional activities and restoration works.

The consortium consisted of eight participating organisations with various profiles: architects, VET institutions, builders of traditional building methods, representatives of artisans, heritage professionals and restorers. The main product of the partnership was an online platform containing the common study and collection of short films popularizing craftsmanship. The platform’s main objective was the start of an international network with the same representatives that the partnership owns. This network with its registered users and forum possibilities will later act as an international database and medium for exchanging best practices and realized examples while conceiving new project ideas and courses of actions in order to reach common goals of the growing community.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 98565 Eur

Project Coordinator

EK Egyesulet & Country: HU

Project Partners

• Edinburgh World Heritage Trust
• Asociación Centro de Intervención Cultural y Educativa DOCTUM
• ECIPA UMBRIA SCARL
• NGO Vanaajamaja
• TEKTUM ARHITECTURA & ARTA SRL
• STROYEXPERT – SEK
• FINE CRAFTS ASSOCIATION OF VILNIUS