IN-PERSON Prague Research & Teaching Conference

Abstract

Architecture is in a state of crisis, manifested by the profession’s inability to lead the creation of а socially just, sustainable and aesthetic urban environment. As a result, its relevance is diminishing. This crisis extends to architectural education. The system struggles to find a model of renewal suited to the demands of the 21st century. The problems inherent in the material environment around us mirror the challenges faced in architectural education. In Bulgaria, architectural education has a history spanning nearly a century, yet no comprehensive analysis of its system has been undertaken. This study aims to provide a critical historical evaluation, examining the character of architectural education and the ways it has evolved over time. The project is led by the NGO Underschool in collaboration with UACEG Sofia. The research involved extensive archival work and targeted interviews. Additionally, the project includes an elective course designed as a form of critical pedagogy, where students observe, analyze, and assess their educational experience. Findings reveal that Bulgarian architectural education has developed along technical, functional-typological, universal, and ideologized lines. Those results were presented through an exhibition that effectively communicated key insights and a university forum that fostered dialogue among administrators, professors, and students. The event took place in a previously neglected campus area, activating the space through tactical urbanism. These diverse approaches underscore the project’s multidisciplinary nature, combining research, pedagogy, event, and spatial intervention. Beyond achieving its research objectives, the project highlights the potential for external organizations to contribute meaningfully to academic institutions by adopting a reflective stance. It offers a sustainable model for the renewal of architectural education, one that merits further exploration and experimentation.