IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A

Abstract

Architectural education is at a pivotal moment, transformed by technological, cultural, and epistemic shifts that destabilize traditional pedagogical models. This paper scrutinizes the evolving role of the Architecture Theory education within a context in which Artificial Intelligence has become an unavoidable agent, reshaping access to knowledge, creative processes and studio dynamics. The abundance and immediacy of information challenge long-held assumptions about architectural practice and thought, stretching issues such as creativity, originality, identity and authorship, demanding a renewed reflection and a reconsideration of how architecture is taught and learned. Rather than resisting AI, the paper argues for the creation of learning environments that strategically integrate human judgment with the organisational and analytical capacities of computational tools. Such integration requires pedagogical approaches that are ethical, reflective, and culturally grounded, acting as mediator and facilitator of critical inquiry. Essential skills – including site interpretation, aesthetic judgment, cultural literacy and critical reasoning – must be cultivated through methods that combine tradition and innovation. Drawing from my pedagogical experience at EAAD (Portugal), the paper presents experimental methodologies that address these challenges and proposes directions for a more resilient, informed, and adaptive architectural education, capable of engaging both technological innovation and the enduring human dimensions of architectural thought and practice.