Central Europe towards Sustainable Building 2016

Beskrivelse

This paper will reflect on understandings of architectural pedagogy and the integration of sustainability into architectural design education. This is framed within an understanding of the construction industry’s role in the production of waste. Despite the complexity of global environmental crises, architectural educators have the opportunity to do more to address this. We begin with a discussion of contemporary literature and policy concerning education for sustainability in architecture, articulating the particular approaches in development within higher education. This is then compared with critical understandings of how architects synthesise different types of knowledge while designing, raising questions about the ‘match’ between educational experiences and subsequent behaviours in practice. Taking an example from Denmark, we outline the approach of Aarhus School of Architecture, where sustainability teaching is partially integrated within the design studio courses. We compare the institution’s philosophy for sustainability with pedagogical approaches as practiced within the school. An empirical study was made of 2nd year architecture student experiences of a one-month introduction course to ‘Reuse and materials’. Within this, the students’ baseline knowledge of sustainable architecture was compared with their subsequent understandings and the opinions they formed. Our findings emphasise the importance of students’ personal critical reflection and active engagement but also the need for students to be supported in gaining different types of knowledge (ie. propositional, experiential, applied) through different modes of learning. There are gaps to be bridged in education in order for the sustainability agenda to be fully integrated in architectural practice.

Periode	22 jun. 2016 → 24 jun. 2016
Begivenhedstype	Konference
Placering	Prague, Tjekkiet