IN-PERSON MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY. SECTION A

Abstract

The architectural design studio remains the pedagogical core of spatial design education. However, the rapid digital transformation of the AEC industry, driven by Building Information Modeling (BIM), challenges its traditional structure. While leading Western European institutions have embedded BIM within interdisciplinary and collaborative studio environments, universities in Central Europe—particularly in Czechia and Poland—continue to rely on fragmented models, where BIM is often confined to isolated, software-oriented courses. This paper examines the transformation of architectural education through the lens of BIM pedagogy, focusing on the tension between traditional studio culture and the data-driven, collaborative logic of contemporary design practice. Drawing on a comparative analysis of architectural curricula across universities in Czechia, Poland, and leading European institutions, supported by curriculum mapping and a structured benchmarking framework, the study identifies systemic gaps in current teaching models. The paper argues that BIM should be understood not merely as a technical skill, but as a pedagogical framework that reshapes design thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and decision-making processes. In this sense, architectural education itself operates as an “invisible infrastructure” shaping future professional practices. The persistence of fragmented teaching approaches therefore limits the development of integrated competencies required in digitally-driven practice. By positioning BIM education within broader debates on curriculum reform, emerging pedagogies, and digital transformation, the paper proposes a shift from fragmented instruction toward integrated, studio-based learning environments. It demonstrates how the creative core of the architectural studio can be preserved while embedding digital competencies, offering a transferable model for aligning Central European education with international standards.