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 civilisational shift. It compels us to rethink our methods of design, construction, and spatial organisation, as well as our material culture and ways of inhabiting spaces.
Designed as a prospective and collaborative learning environment, this course invites students to deepen their enquiries into the societal role and modes of action of architects in the Anthropocene era and its socio-ecological disasters. It explicitly adopts a critical perspective on modern cults of progress and growth, emphasising the urgent need to develop engaged architectural practices that are frugal in energy, technicality, and resources, while capable of caring for all human and non-human entities involved.
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 investigate. To transpose the insights from this literature into the realities of architectural practice, students are encouraged to research and share information on architectural practices experimenting with alternative approaches. Beyond analysing these productions, the course primarily aims to question their capacity to rework the value systems, representations, and practices that shape the architectural discipline. The arrangement and rearticulation of these readings and investigations serve as levers for constructing 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 provide students with tools for critically understanding the complexity and scope of the 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, mobilising informed reasoning and creativity to become active participants in the transitions to be undertaken.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Basic understanding of reading academic articles in English. Good reading and writing 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.
The first one or two sessions aim to define, with the active participation of students, the teaching framework through collective reading, using the "arpentage" method (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 lines of enquiry identified collectively during this reading, subsequent work will involve reading scientific articles and, from an inquiry-based learning perspective, analysing architectural practices experimenting with alternative approaches (low-tech, reuse, bio-based materials, permanent construction sites, etc.). The portfolio of readings and case studies will be gradually developed throughout the semester, depending on questions arising from collective discussions and the time required for certain case analyses.
Before sessions, students will prepare a summary of about 500 words of a reading and/or the progress of a case study. These documents, presented orally in class, will serve as a basis for collective discussions, providing points of entry to explore the conceptual and ideological foundations of socio-ecological issues, as well as to rethink architectural production methods. Each summary must be uploaded to eCampus and will be made available to all.
At the end of sessions, students will be invited to prepare a "one-minute paper" summarising the key points retained and the questions or reflections raised during the session.
Around the middle of the semester, to explore the possibilities opened by readings and analyses of (attempted) alternative practices, students will progressively construct a "speculative narrative" regarding possible futures for the architectural discipline. Combining textual and graphic production, these narratives are not intended to propose solutions but to stimulate imagination and explore ways of thinking and acting differently. The progression of the narrative will be presented orally in class, and drafts will be uploaded to eCampus.
Summaries and speculative narratives are produced individually. Group work may be considered if appropriate, with justification and the explicit agreement of the instructor.
The course is based on the principles of flipped classroom and collaborative learning. Each session requires active participation from students as well as prior completion of the assigned work. Students must also attend the session(s) dedicated to the "arpentage," as this constitutes the starting point for the work undertaken in the course (attendance will be recorded 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, student summaries, and examples of speculative narratives will be made available on eCampus or in print for certain texts.
A Miro page will also be available to collect and organise the various working materials gathered during sessions.
Students will locate the articles and texts they wish to study using the ULiège libraries or scientific resources available in open access.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
oral exam
Written work / report
Further information:
Assessment will be based on:
- Active participation, 25% of the overall grade, individual assessment: attendance, quality and relevance of arguments and reflections during collective discussions, clarity and conciseness of contributions, and respect for different viewpoints.
- A portfolio of reading summaries, case analyses, and one-minute papers, 25% of the overall grade, individual assessment: ability to engage critically with scientific texts and case analyses, usefulness of summaries for collaborative work, and adherence to guidelines (word count, citation conventions, etc.).
- Speculative narrative, 50% of the overall grade, individual assessment: ability to develop reflections, explorations, and positions based on data from readings and case analyses, narrative and formal quality of the text, the ability of any graphic materials to support and complement the content, and adherence to guidelines. This work is primarily individual but may be undertaken in groups if opportunities arise during sessions, with the instructor's agreement. In addition to submission on eCampus, narratives will be presented orally if feasible without overloading the session.
Access to the final assessment is conditional on:
- Submission of at least two intermediate versions of the speculative narrative during the semester;
- Attendance of 80% of sessions in general, or at least 50% in cases of justified and acceptable absences;
- Strict adherence to the guidelines for producing and submitting work as communicated by the instructor (timing, submission platform, required materials, etc.), except in duly justified exceptional circumstances.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Reasonable and responsible use of AI tools is expected:
- Reading summaries must not be produced by AI, to ensure students have read and understood the texts;
- Reflective content (one-minute papers and speculative narratives) must remain entirely personal;
- Any use of AI must be transparent and justified in the submitted work.
The organisation of the course relies on the active participation of students and their ability to work collectively (sharing information, proactivity in discussions, etc.).
Attendance will be recorded at every session. Any absence must be duly justified and communicated as soon as possible via email to the instructor and the student office (service.etudiants.archi@uliege.be).