Confronting Wicked Problems: Adapting Architectural Education to the New Situation in Europe Erasmus Project
General information for the Confronting Wicked Problems: Adapting Architectural Education to the New Situation in Europe Erasmus Project
Project Title
Confronting Wicked Problems: Adapting Architectural Education to the New Situation in Europe
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 higher education
Project Call Year
This project’s Call Year is 2014
Project Topics
This project is related with these Project Topics: Labour market issues incl. career guidance / youth unemployment; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses
Project Summary
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. This is most clearly demonstrated in the challenges of sustainable development of the European habitat, cities and buildings. The process of redesigning and reusing the huge European architectural heritage is equally challenging.
The main objectives of this project have been (1) to strengthen the architectural graduate’s ´ability to face the wicked problems, and thus improve the graduate´s social impact and their employability. In order to achieve this, the content and methods of architectural education have to be reconsidered and developed. The project has tested and developed innovative practices in local “teaching laboratories”, and thus provided a platform for making the results available to relevant schools. (2) The educational institutions will through the new knowledge gained also be able to develop their systems and curriculum for Life-long learning involving post-graduate target groups. In this way the project also has given input to systems for Continuous professional development (CPD) and has also reached other target groups disseminating knowledge to young professionals and practice through chambers and professional organizations.
10 institutions have participated in the project:
– 8 architectural schools/higher education institutions, specialized in architecture
– 2 organizations on a European level, for architectural education and architects respectively
Higher institutions for architectural education:
The Oslo School of Architecture and Design – Coordinating institution (Oslo, Norway)
The Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture (Milano, Italy)
Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Escola Tecnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona (ETSAB) (Barcelona, Spain)
Universiteit Hasselt, Department for Architecture and Arts (Hasselt, Belgium)
Ceske Vysoke Uceni Technicke v Praze, Department of Architecture (Prague, Czech Republic)
Technische Universiteit Delft, Department of Architecture (Delft, the Netherlands)
Universitatea de Arhitectura si Urbanism “Ion Mincu” (Bucharest, Romania)
Universitá degli Studi di Genova, Department of Architecture (Genova, Italy)
European organizations for architectural education and architects:
European Association for Architectural Education/Association Européenne pour l`Enseignement de l’Architecture (EA
AE-AEEA) – web: http://www.eaae.be/
Architect’s Council of Europe/Conseil des Architected d’Europe (ACE-CAE) – web: http://ace-cae.eu/
The project has been organized in three different think tanks:
(1) Teaching architectural design and professional knowledge (TADPK)
(2) Heritage
(3) Sustainability.
The activities in the think tanks have been managed through two yearly transnational project meetings (1 meeting each term). The purpose of these meetings has been to discuss the structure and contents for the upcoming workshops – which have taken place during the spring term of 2015, 2016 and 2017:
The sustainability think tank has arranged three Sustainability Charrettes. The Architectural design and professional knowledge think tank, and the Heritage think tank have arranged three short term staff training events each, held in turns by the schools participating in the think tank.
Dissemination has happened through yearly reports to representatives of European schools of architecture at the yearly EAAE General Assembly and Conference. All written material is published open source at the EAAE-website:
http://www.eaae.be/eaae-academies/education-academy/erasmus-confronting-wicked-problems/
The expected outcome has been reached: The project has given the participating schools valuable insights that will have a long-term impact: to help them on their way to become epicenters and ambassadors of good practice respectively within architectural design and professional knowledge, sustainability and heritage. The project has also been important for extending and strengthening the schools international networks. The project has contributed to link the ties between education and profession, co-producing innovative teaching methods, and strengthening the education’s sector impact on architecture policy.
For EAAE, the project has strengthened further European cooperation within architectural education. Through the dissemination of intellectual outputs the project has also contributed to establishing EAAE as a hub of resources for its member institutions.
EU Grant (Eur)
Funding of the project from EU: 267190 Eur
Project Coordinator
ARKITEKTUR OG DESIGNHOGSKOLEN I OSLO & Country: NO
Project Partners
- TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT
- CAE Services GEIE
- UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI GENOVA
- UNIVERSITEIT HASSELT
- POLITECNICO DI MILANO
- EAAE – AEEA (European Association for Architectural Education vzw – Assocation Européenne pour l’Enseignement de l’Architecture
- CESKE VYSOKE UCENI TECHNICKE V PRAZE