Duration
40h Th
Number of credits
| Master in architecture, professional focus in architecture and urban planning | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Whether described as a disaster, crisis, or collapse, the current ecological situation necessitates, willingly or not, a structural civilizational shift. It compels us to rethink our methods of design, construction, and spatial organization, as well as our material culture and ways of living. Designed as a prospective and collaborative learning space, this course invites students to deepen their inquiries into the societal role and action modalities of architects in the Anthropocene era and its socio-ecological disasters. It explicitly adopts a critical perspective on modern cults of progress and growth, emphasizing the urgent need to develop engaged architectural practices that are both frugal in energy, technology, and resources and capable of caring for all involved human and non-human entities.
To explore the ideological foundations of socio-ecological issues, the course relies on collaborative reading of scientific texts from various fields (social studies of science and technology, environmental history, environmental humanities, etc.), selected according to the perspectives students wish to explore. To translate the insights from this literature into the realities of architectural practice, students will research and share information on architectural practices exploring alternative approaches (low-tech, reuse, bio-based materials, permanent construction sites, etc.). Beyond analyzing these productions, the course focuses on questioning their ability to rework the value systems and representations that shape the architectural discipline. The arrangement and rearticulation of these readings and investigations ultimately serve as levers to construct a "speculative narrative," exploring possible futures for the architectural profession in response to socio-ecological upheavals and the axiological crisis of the Anthropocene.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
The course aims to equip students with critical understanding tools for the complexity and scope of changes required to address the current socio-ecological situation. It also seeks to support students in reflecting on their future practices in an uncertain world, by mobilizing informed reasoning and creativity to become active participants in the transitions to be built.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Good writing and reading skills in French.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The course employs an epistemological and methodological framework in three areas: axiology, inquiry, and speculative narrative. It is based on the principles of flipped classroom and collaborative learning.
The first or the first two sessions aim to define, with the active participation of students, the teaching framework through collective reading, using the method of "arpentage" (a form of collective exploration), of a text from a field other than architecture that invites rethinking our relationship with the world. Based on the questions and exploration paths identified collectively during this reading, subsequent work will involve reading scientific articles and, from an inquiry-based learning perspective, analyzing architectural practices experimenting with alternative paths (low-tech, reuse, bio-based materials, permanent construction sites, etc.). The reading list and case study portfolio will be gradually developed throughout the semester, depending on the questions that emerge from collective discussions and the time required for certain case analyses.
Before sessions, students must prepare a summary of about 500 words of a reading and/or progress on a case study. These documents, presented orally in class, will serve as the basis for collective discussions, providing entry points to explore the conceptual and ideological foundations of socio-ecological issues and to rethink traditional architectural production methods. At the end of the sessions, students will be invited to prepare a "one-minute paper" summarizing the essential points they retain from the session and the questions and/or reflections that emerge.
Throughout the sessions, to explore the possibilities opened by readings and analyses of alternative practices, students will progressively construct a "speculative narrative" regarding possible futures for the architectural discipline. Combining textual and graphic production, these narratives should not aim to propose solutions but rather to stimulate imagination, explore possible futures, and alternative ways of thinking and acting. Depending on the number of students and the opportunities that arise during work sessions, this speculative narrative may be developed in groups or individually (details on submission modalities will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the semester).
Active participation from students is required at every session to ensure the smooth operation of the course. It is also essential that students come prepared with the required work. Finally, students must attend the session(s) dedicated to the "arpentage," as this constitutes the starting point for the work undertaken in the course (attendance will be taken by the instructor).
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Course materials, the reading portfolio and resources, as well as examples of speculative narratives, will be made available on the eCampus platform.
A Miro board will also be available to collect and organize the various working materials gathered during the sessions.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Written work / report
Continuous assessment
Further information:
Assessment will be based on:
- Active participation, 25% of the overall grade: attendance, quantity of interventions (in sessions and on Miro), quality and relevance of arguments and reflections, clarity and conciseness of comments, and respect for different viewpoints.
- A portfolio compiling reading summaries, case analyses, and one-minute papers, 25% of the overall grade: the ability to critically engage with scientific texts and case analyses, the usefulness of summaries for collaborative work, and adherence to guidelines (word count, citation conventions, etc.).
- The "speculative narrative," 50% of the overall grade: the student's ability to develop reflections, explorations, and positions based on data from readings and case analyses, the narrative and formal quality of the text, the ability of any graphic supports to enhance and complement the content, and adherence to guidelines (word count, citation conventions, etc.). If the number of students permits, in addition to submission on eCampus, this work will involve an oral presentation. Ideally, all works would be presented in a half-day session with all students present.
Students who fail to submit the compiled portfolio of work and the speculative narrative will be marked as absent.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Depending on opportunities, some case analyses may require travel (site visits, interviews, etc.).
The organization of the course is closely dependent on the active participation of students and their ability to work collectively (sharing information, proactivity in collective discussions, etc.).