scuole, edifici / schools, buildings

The buildings in which architectural design is taught and learned – the school of architecture – bear specific meanings linked to particular aims, contingencies, educational programs, and learning objectives. As cultural institutions, these buildings inform our understanding of education. They are physical devices that make the relationship between ideas and values, pedagogical theories, and spatial configurations explicit. As tangible structures, schools of architecture establish unique relationships with urban environments and landscape. As educational institutions for architectural design, they demonstrate a vast array of potential outcomes for design projects. From simulations of professional practice to more experimental explorations, from digital research to hands-on engagement, schools of architecture as physical spaces exert significant pedagogical influence, asserting themselves as non-neutral sites that exemplify diverse perspectives on the teaching and practice of architectural design.