A Focus on Pedagogy
Abstract
Project as one argument is a pedagogical and didactical experiment that focus on providing better tools for the architecture student to navigate and focus on their projects, through exercises with argumentation models, primarily the Toulmin method. Working, studying and teaching in the larger scales of architecture (urban design, landscape architecture, landscape and urban planning) requires a great overview in order to frame, focus and conduct a strategic reaction or a design proposal. In large scale projects an array of parameters creates a high degree of complexity to be considered in the project and to be utilized as generative aspects. A learning – and teaching challenge occurs when the students move from the analytical or mapping phase into the synthesis of proposal phase. The challenge derives from prioritizing and establishing a hierarchy between the different elements in the analysis and thereby establishing an operational overview. The paper presents the design and results of the didactic experiment, in the form of workshop that includes exercises which asks the students to apply Toulmin´s model for constructing a valid argument and invites the students to consider their research and design process as parts of one overarching argument for the design proposal. The workshop aims to establish a meta-awareness of the role of the different parts of the project and how they are utilized in development of the main argument. The results of the workshop; student posters and the evaluation of the learning outcome by the participating students show that the exercise contributed to an improved overview, and thereby empowered the students to work with a greater degree of autonomy. Furthermore, the argumentation model proved to be a good didactical tool to open up for process discussions in plenary and for peer-to-peer feedback.
Rune Chr. Bach, cand. arch., Ph.D., is educated as an architect from the Aarhus School of architecture (2003), from where he also obtained his Ph.D. (2008), and where he currently holds a position as an assistant professor with research and teaching focus on urban design and landscape architecture. Furthermore, Rune has been an external associate professor at Architecture and Design at Aalborg University, and he has taught at the Royal Academy in Copenhagen. In addition, he is an appointed censor at the artistic educations in Denmark. Rune’s research topics span from the relation between the city and the landscape (PhD-project) to how the design of different urban components/elements and their transitions that surround us can nurture urban life. Besides that, Rune has contributed with articles about social housing and regional, strategic, and urban planning. Rune has 12+ years of practical experience from multiple offices. He has won multiple high-profiled architectural competitions and was project-leading projects regarding urban design and urban planning, landscape design, and strategic planning. Rune has been rewarded with several grants from the Danish Arts Association and is currently on the evaluation panel for the Royal Institute of British Architects’ global student competitions.
Line Marie Bruun Jespersen holds a MA in Art History and Classical Studies from Aarhus University (2003) and a PhD in Art and Urbanism from Aalborg University (AAU) (2011). Line is an associate professor at Department of Communication and Psychology at Aalborg University, where she is a member of RELATE: Research Lab for Art and Technology). Lines research interest lies within public art, art and publics and the role of art in various types of spatial contexts. That include the interplay between urban architecture, landscape, publics and artistic interventions and how art engage with various contexts outside of the art institution. Lines recent publications covers topics such as art as a platform for social interaction and participation in public space, and Problem-based Learning within the arts. In addition, Line has been part of the study board for the BA programme in Art and Technology at AAU since 2012, and headed the board 2017-2020, so questions regarding the profile, structure and pedagogy of contemporary art educations, as well as initiatives to support student learning and well-being is another main interest, both as a research topic and in management and quality assurance of educations.
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Friday 22nd April, 2022