“get involved – discover and create common ground”

International symposium architectural & built environment education for young people
19th and 20th october 2012 International Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia
get involved provided participants with an opportunity to share new ideas and explore methods of architectural and built environment education for children and young people. The symposium was directed towards architects and engineers, scientists, students, educators as well as officials involved in project development and planning.

 

It has been the first time that architectural education for young people took place at the international Architecture Exhibition La Biennale di Venezia. Within this hotspot on the current international scenery of
architecture it was a challenge to establish an active discussion about the reception, influence and designability of our built environment for young people together with architects, teachers and scientists.
The two-day symposium featured successful programs and projects from throughout Europe, with insight into pedagogical and scientific methods in built environment education. We invited international experts to
join for 12 lectures and 13 hands-on workshops on topics in the areas of participation, spatial perception,
creativity and planning.Altogether we welcomed 130 participants from Australia, Austria, Germany, Great
Britain, Finland, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia and Spain.

 

Speakers like Pihla Meskanen (Arkki, Helsinki), Susanne Hofmann (Baupiloten, Berlin), Petri Zimmermann (spacespot, Zürich) or Tiago Borges (arquikids, Barcelona) offered representative samples of different activities around built environment education projects in Europe. Combined with many Austrian contributions the Symposium gave a detailed insight into current methods, strategies and approaches in terms of architectural and built environment education. In matters of innovative school buildings. Frauke Burgdorff (Montag Stiftung, Bonn) provoked a debate based on pedagogical principles and new challenges in common needs of society, decision makers, pupils, teachers, parents, etc. Susanne Hofmann (Baupiloten, Berlin) demonstrated, how participation comes alive in their building projects by integration and inclusion of all people involved. Angela Uttke (Jugend Architektur Stadt, TU Berlin) contributed with the description of a very impressive youth project and gave
an insight of how educational programs work outside the school.
Different financial aids generate different ways in educational strategies and institutions. For instance „Arkki“ school for architecture for young people in Helsinki has been offering an extensive program for several years. Pihla Meskanen (Arkki, Helsinki) presented an interesting project created as an integral part of a city planning competition in Helsinki.
In addition to the theoretical discussions, the symposium offered specific sessions to intensify ones practical experience. More details about lectures and sessions are available on our speakers page.

 

Considering all positive responses to “get involved” I feel that this symposium could be an impulse to keeping our discussion on an international as well as on a regional level alive in order to obtain a better quality of communication with all parties, a mutual understanding and at least to achieve a higher
comprehension of our common environment.
Finally I wish to thank all involved members of our Initiative so much for their collaborative support and commitment and all speakers for their helpful input and the papers that they provided.

 

Monika Abendstein, aut. architektur und tirol
fconception and organization
getinvolved@bink.at
Lois-Welzenbacher-Platz 1, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
t +43.512.57 15 67

organized in cooperation with
Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien
Technische Universität Wien
Pädagogische Hochschulen Tirol und Salzburg
ZSK Zentrum für Schulische Kulturarbeit des BMUKK
Junge Uni Innsbruck

 

for grateful support we thank to

Pro Helvetia – Schweizer Kulturstiftung