Held on May 25 and 26, the 2nd Experimental Construction Site Seminar in Architecture and Urbanism was promoted by LEMC Canteiro Experimental, the PET Canteiro Experimental e Comunidades group, and GEPARQ (Research Group of PROARQ/UFRJ). The seminar aims to present pedagogical practices in experimental construction sites and research and outreach projects that engage with hands-on construction, as well as the experiences of professors and professional architects and urban planners who currently incorporate construction experiences into their professional practice within social architecture.
The event intends to discuss architecture and urbanism education and theoretical-practical actions that promote reflection on materials, construction methods, structural systems, and professional practice committed to social architecture. This is an urgent and necessary debate, given a landscape where the teaching and learning process in architecture and urbanism schools has focused on design while neglecting construction practice. This disconnect limits holistic design thinking and hinders the understanding of materiality, thereby restricting the professional scope of architects and urban planners. Furthermore, it is understood that addressing one of the greatest historical challenges in the field—Social Interest Housing (HIS) and the right to housing—requires a deeper understanding of the act of building. Given the changing profile of undergraduate students in Brazil, this understanding impacts research, outreach, and professional practice interests in the field of architecture and urbanism, all of which will be discussed at the event.
