IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A
Abstract
This paper examines how architectural design processes change when moving from academic contexts to the built reality, and the implications for architectural education. It is based on the transformation of the playground of CEIP Vil·la Romana in Catarroja (Spain) after the October floodings, combining an academic studio, a professional project by the authors, and a subsequent exhibition. Architectural education has long relied on the design studio as a space for exploratory thinking (Schön, 1983). Less attention has been given to how design knowledge shifts when confronted with precise site data and construction conditions (Cuff, 1991; Deamer, 2015). This study analyses how measured data, including levels, distances and slopes, together with technical, administrative and material constraints, reorganise the project. In the academic phase, students developed proposals based on general site conditions, in which spatial, social, and environmental criteria, including gender-sensitive approaches, coexisted without a strict hierarchy. In the professional phase, the project required precise engagement with the terrain and full immersion in construction conditions. Exact topographic data and constraints such as budget, maintenance and regulation informed decisions on the playground’s configuration, including a topographic mound with play elements, circulation paths and surface treatments. This did not add detail but forced prioritisation, transforming an open set of possibilities into a structured spatial strategy. The exhibition phase mediates this shift by connecting exploratory proposals and built outcomes. The paper argues that the key transition lies in the need to decide, prioritise and assume consequences, contributing to debates on situated learning in architectural education.
Eva M. Álvarez Isidro, PhD Architect and Associate Professor in the Department of Architectural Design at the Universitat Politècnica de València. Her work focuses on gender perspective in architecture, care-oriented environments, and architectural education. She co-authored the Guide to mainstreaming gender in urban action for the Generalitat Valenciana and contributed to the European Investment Bank report on gender equality in social housing. She co-directs the practice gómez+álvarez arquitectes, integrating research, teaching and professional work.
Carlos J. Gómez Alfonso, PhD Architect and Associate Professor in the Department of Architectural Design at the Universitat Politècnica de València. His work explores the relationship between design practice, construction, and architectural education, with a focus on material processes and project development. He co-directs the practice gómez+álvarez arquitectes, where teaching, research and professional work are closely intertwined. His projects range from public space interventions to educational and residential buildings. He has participated in national and international research initiatives and teaching activities, contributing to discussions on contemporary architectural practice and the role of design in addressing social and environmental challenges.
Diego Martín de Torres is an architect based in Valencia. His work engages the intersection between design, construction and public space, with a focus on educational environments and small-scale interventions. He has collaborated with Eva M. Álvarez Isidro and Carlos J. Gómez Alfonso on projects that connect academic research and built work, including the transformation of the playground of CEIP Vil·la Romana in Catarroja following the October floods. His role has involved the development of construction drawings, coordination on site and the material definition of key elements such as topographic play structures. His practice is characterised by close attention to site conditions and constructive precision.
Laura Iglesias Barras is an architect based in Valencia. Her work focuses on public space, housing and educational environments, with attention to the relationship between design, care and everyday use. She has collaborated with Eva M. Álvarez Isidro and Carlos J. Gómez Alfonso on projects that link academic research and professional practice, including the transformation of the playground of CEIP Vil·la Romana in Catarroja after the October floods. Her contribution has centred on project development, coor
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Wednesday 24th June, 2026