VIRTUAL MADRID FOCUS ON PEDAGOGY

Abstract

The current rapid development of artificial intelligence and other technologies has brought challenges and opportunities to the construction of future human settlements. The discipline of urban design needs to explore interdisciplinary talent training. The course “Introduction to Urban Design Elements” taught by the author is an introductory course teaching students of various majors. The course hopes to lay the foundation for possible interdisciplinary participation in the future. The 2-credit course consists of four parts: classroom lectures, model making, on-site visits, and thematic research. 1) 6 classroom lectures on the types of urban space as a clue to case studies in China and abroad. 2) 1 session of model making in which students from different majors pour concrete models of typical cases, observe and imagine the perception and movement of the body in the model space. 3) 8-9 days of winter break to visit excellent urban space cases in China and Europe, to deepen the understanding of classroom knowledge through on-site perception, and to mobilise the body senses to intuitively understand the feeling that urban space gives to people. 4) Thematic research by students in interdisciplinary teams, to carry out a case study of a space type and to share it in the 2 classes during the practice period. The process enabled the transfer of knowledge from classroom lectures, the experiential inspiration of model making, the on-site experience of field visits, and the thematic study. The course achieved excellent teaching results, was recognised by the students and won several awards.