Architecture as an education needs to strengthen its knowledge-transfer infrastructure and breed an interactive flexible learning environment to absorb ever-changing needs and objectives of the professional/research sides of the field of architecture, and find ways to steer the poles of the knowledge triangle (research/education/profession) to enhance the innovation potential of European educational and research system in terms of handling the transformation of the built environment.The architectural design education programs have the potential to steer the poles of the knowledge triangle within the two key fields of interaction at their core curricula. The final architectural design studio, mainly known as diploma project, as an “in-between” educational/professional life, is the place, where the knowledge triangle is at stake with the joint of work of teachers coming from research, academic and professional fields. Internships/training periods/summer practices are the inaugural place for the students to face the professional field of architecture.The main objective of project is to first explore and then innovate the paths followed by the in-between mediation activities occurring in the field of interactions (methods, processes, and execution), in this way to enhance architectural education programs that (1) pursue the works of EAAE-UIA workgroup and UIA/UNESCO education commission; (2) are compatible with EU directives and 2011 EU modernisation agenda by respecting local and regional qualities.The project will produce four seminal intellectual outputs: (1,2) Mapping and analysis of existing diploma studio tracks and internship models in the European departments of architecture based on the knowledge, skills, and competences defined by EU directive 2013/55.(3,4) Alternative paths for diploma studios and curricular internships that respect the synthesis of the major challenges of our era affecting the profession and the emerging ‘hybrid, trans-disciplinary’ professional areas of the 21st century both in local and international context.The project is organised in four different workteams: (1) Final architectural design studio research group, (2) internships research group, (3) project management team, (4) quality assessment and dissemination team. The activities in the different workteams will be managed through seven semi-annual transnational project meetings. In addition to this the project involves different kinds of events for pilot projects and discussions: - Final architectural design studio research group will arrange two short-term workshops, one intensive architectural design studios (IADS), and one joint diploma studio;-Internships research group will arrange two short-term workshops.The dissemination will happen through semi-annual project reports and the intellectual outputs to representatives of most European schools of architecture at the EAAE Annual Conference. All written and design studio material, as well as major lectures will be published open source at the project and EAAE website.• The Department of Architecture, TOBB University of Economics and Technology (TOBB ETU) is the coordinator of the project, TURKEY• The International Union of Architects (UIA) is a key strategic partner in bridging the project to profession owing to its role in developing international and aspirational standards in education and professional practice.• The European Association of Architectural Education (EAAE) is a key strategic partner in evaluating and disseminating the results.• TU/e Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of the Built Environment, THE NETHERLANDS• The School of Architecture, Universidade Lusofona, PORTUGAL• The Faculty of Architecture at University of Zagreb, CROATIA• Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Architecture, TURKEYThe project brings together all the knowledge fields of the discipline and accommodates diverse formal and informal teaching, learning, training environments. These activities create a platform to share/experience/exchange architectural educational practices and academic expertise. This implies a potential for quality improvements and innovation excellence. The expected outcome for the participating partners is the establishment of new design studios and the implementation of new internship models built upon the alternatives developed in e-FIADE. These fields of interaction ensures the relevance of educational scheme to professional practice, feeds the professional practice with experimental/innovative approaches developed in educational setting, and weaves the research findings and technological developments into course contents. Via EAAE and UIA on board the project, it aims to create closer bonds between European Architecture Schools and worldwide architectural professionals.
Context Architecture as an education needs to strengthen its knowledge-transfer infrastructure and breed an interactive, flexible learning environment to absorb ever-changing needs and objectives of the professional/research sides of the field of architecture, and find ways to steer the poles of the knowledge triangle (research/education/profession) to enhance the innovation potential of European educational and research system in terms of handling the transformation of the built environment. Architectural design education programs have the potential to steer the poles of the knowledge triangle within the two key fields of interaction at their core curricula. The final architectural design studio (FADS) and internship program are fields of interaction and transitional learning domains as thresholds that bridge academic education and the professional world. Thus, they not only represent the incorporation and culmination of the educational cycle but also the interaction and synthesis of all the accumulated experiences of the student. Objectives The objective of project was to first explore and then innovate the paths followed by the in-between mediation activities occurring in these two fields of interaction (methods, processes, and execution), in this way to enhance architectural education programs that are compatible with EU directives and 2011 EU modernisation agenda by respecting local and regional qualities. Partnership e-FIADE have created a platform to share/experience/exchange architectural educational practices and academic expertise with the following organisations: TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Department of Architecture (TURKEY) The European Association of Architectural Education (BELGIUM) Eindhoven University of Technology, Department of the Built Environment (THE NETHERLANDS) University of Zagreb, The Faculty of Architecture (CROATIA) Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Architecture (TURKEY) Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Strasbourg (FRANCE) Universidade Lusofona, School of Architecture (PORTUGAL) Main Activities and Results The project activities were managed by four work teams (FADS and internship research; project management; quality assessment and dissemination) and through 7 transnational project meetings. e-FIADE accommodated diverse formal and informal teaching, learning, training environments: 3 forum sessions on FADS and internship, one intensive architectural design studios (IADS), and one joint FADS among the partner HEIs, followed by the exhibition of the students’ works at the joint FADS at the EAAE Annual Conference 2019. Through these activities, it produced 4 seminal intellectual outputs to fulfil the project objectives: (O1-2) Mapping and analysis of existing diploma studio tracks and curricular internship models in the European departments of architecture based on the knowledge, skills, and competences defined by EU directive 2013/55. (O3-4) Alternative paths for diploma studios and curricular internships that respect the synthesis of the major challenges of our era affecting the profession and the emerging ‘hybrid, trans-disciplinary’ professional areas of the 21st century both in local and international context. The dissemination happened through 4 seminars entitled “e-FIADE Seminar: Thresholds in Architectural Education” organised in İstanbul, Ankara (Turkey), Strasbourg (France), and Zagreb (Croatia). The 4th seminar represented the project results to the representatives of many European schools of architecture at the EAAE Annual Conference. All the project materials, major lectures, and the intellectual outputs are published open-source at the project website. Impact The initial impacts measured through the verbal feedback from students, instructors and professionals attending the dissemination events showed that the mapping outputs are key reference documents that help academics understanding both where their existing studio practices and the mutual interaction between the formal and non-formal learning in their school curricula stand. Likewise, the alternative paths were appreciated as a valuable repertoire bringing together hybrid practices that involve people from the three sides of the knowledge triangle of the discipline. The research topics feed the current and future activities of the Education Academy working under the EAAE and the Turkish council working on access to the profession. The participating partners have started establishing the alternative studio models and the internship app produced by e-FIADE. Longer-term benefits e-FIADE results will have long-term impacts on research in architectural education that explore, discuss, and consider new and innovative perspectives on the crossings, interactions, and transformations of non-formal, informal learning, and formal learning within or prior to FADS and Internship and on the formation of the Charter on Architectural Education.