Teaching Beyond the Curriculum

Abstract

Studio culture has been a fundamental aspect of architectural education for the past six decades. Lecture-based modules have been overshadowed by studios in the field of pedagogy, resulting in a significant learning gap, particularly in undergraduate architectural education in East Asia. A commonly used workshop method for architectural programmes and events is a non-linear, collective, and creative exploration process. Therefore, taking transformative pedagogy (Salama, 2016) as a mechanism for experiential learning, this article argues that integrating a short design workshop into a lecture-based module structure can effectively bridge gaps between modules by creating potential synergy. In light of the uncertain and complex built environment we face today, it is crucial to expand the teaching content in architectural education to incorporate other spatial professions, such as urbanism and landscape. The article proposes that the idea of folding drawn from Deleuze’s work (1993) provides a theoretical position to demonstrate transformative pedagogy in a transdisciplinary manner. In so doing, the article explores the process of designing a pedagogical workshop for an undergraduate module titled “The Study of Architecture and Landscape Urbanism” at N.T.U.T in Taipei. It demonstrates how a two-day design workshop, which addresses socio-spatial issues identified during fieldwork, serves as a folding framework for integrating studio and lecture teaching methods and sharing essential knowledge across disciplines. In conclusion, the practise of workshop enables transformative pedagogy into a folding dynamics which can transcend conventional teaching methods and venues in architecture and significantly move beyond disciplinary boundaries in general.