Pedagogy 2025

Abstract

The architectural profession stands at a critical juncture. Confronted with climate breakdown and widening social inequalities, architecture can no longer be confined to questions of form or aesthetics. Graduating architects face unprecedented challenges in their professional futures: with the construction sector responsible for nearly 40% of total CO2 emissions (UNEP, 2020) and total waste (Eurostat, 2022), systemic transformation is imperative. Architectural education must redefine its pedagogical models by centering social and ecological responsibility. BASEhabitat, a design studio at the University of Arts Linz, is reimagining architectural education and practice. Building on radical pedagogies (Colomina et al, 2022) and theories of situated learning, BASEhabitat creates immersive, context-driven, and hands-on learning environments outside university halls. Space and body play a fundamental role in the embodiment of this vision: construction sites become decommodified and transform into dynamic learning sites, where theory, practice, and ethics converge. Materials, tools, and construction processes serve as unique pedagogical instruments, while collaboration with clients, users, and professionals deepens students’ understanding of the built environment. Hierarchies dissolve, and site challenges transform into opportunities for collective problem-solving. Back at the university, students apply this foundation to research regenerative materials across their life cycles, connect academic inquiry with design practice and local economies, and visit best practice projects—reinforcing the idea that sustainable transformation is both necessary and achievable. Despite their relevance, such formats remain underrepresented in mainstream architectural curricula. By sharing its pedagogical approach, BASEhabitat invites students, peers, and the industry to a collective reflection on architectural education and towards a sustainable and equitable architectural practice.