Transformative Teaching
Abstract
What Mario Carpo defines as “the second digital turn” represents, for creative disciplines as architecture, an irreversible process meant to modify many consolidated paradigms in design processes, as well as rules in professional practice. Without upgrading his methods and points of view, education in architecture turns out to be inappropriate for future scenarios, both in terms of content and methods. Currently, digital tools for architectural design constitute a powerful ecosystem that has the potential to change established design paradigms and, consequently, require the emergence of new educational paradigms. How can digital culture contribute to the transformative experience of education in architectural design processes? Is it enough to work in virtual environments to stimulate creativity and foster control over the design process? The impact of “digital” in architectural education, since the beginnings of CAD, often pushed the student at “thinking in silos”. Digital-native students are indeed very familiar with the world of virtuality but it is often the physical reality that challenges them. And architecture belongs to the physical realm! The vast ecosystem of techniques and tools that goes by the name of digital fabrication can today allow the development of new design methodologies capable of bringing together advanced use of digital tools and physical experience in the verification of design results through what is called rapid prototyping. The paper presents the result of an experimental program developed at the School of Architecture and Design “Eduardo Vittoria” (SAAD) of the University of Camerino focused on: a) prototyping as a design strategy; b) the “SAADLab# Prototype” (a laboratory equipped for prototyping with CNC and 3D printing techniques) as fulcrum of an innovative educational program. Starting with an illustration of this experience and its results, the contribution attempts to trace a possible way forward for a “phygital education”
Architect, PhD , Adjunct Professor at University of Camerino (School of Architecture and Design, SAAD), professor at doctoral International School of Advanced Studies of Camerino. He works in the field of technological innovation in architecture. He is coordinator of SAAD’s prototype laboratory. His main studies and research currently focus on the impact of digital revolution on architectural design. In his “Design of Building Systems” and “Degree Workshop” courses, in particular, he experiments with innovative teaching methodologies through digital technologies within the SAAD Prototype Lab