SArPe aimed to develop, test, and disseminate new pedagogical frameworks that position architecture as a socially, politically, and environmentally situated practice. The project sought to foster innovation in higher education by introducing approaches grounded in collaboration, care, and civic engagement. Its objectives were to: (1) theorise socially situated architectural pedagogies through comparative research and documentation of tools and methods; (2) experiment with these approaches in design studios, workshops, and blended learning activities across partner universities; (3) promote transnational cooperation between academia and civil society to strengthen the social role of architecture; and (4) disseminate results through open-access platforms, exhibitions, and international events. Ultimately, the project aimed to empower educators and learners to act critically and responsibly in their local contexts, contributing to more inclusive and sustainable forms of architectural education and practice.
The project Socially Situated Architectural Pedagogies (SArPe) was conceived to address a shared need among European architecture schools to rethink education in response to contemporary social, environmental, and ethical challenges. Traditional architectural curricula often remain detached from real contexts and communities, limiting students’ ability to act as socially engaged professionals. The consortium identified a gap in pedagogical models that integrate critical, place-based, and participatory learning. SArPe therefore aims to explore and develop socially situated pedagogies that connect teaching and learning to real situations, stakeholders, and environments. By linking theory and practice through cooperation between universities and civil society organisations, the project responds to the urgent need for inclusive, sustainable, and context-responsive education that empowers learners and educators to co-create architectural knowledge with and for communities.