Arch Talk: Tank on Education
Arch Talk: Tank on Education is personal research into the potential digital transformation holds for architecture education.
Inevitably, E-Learning is the future of architecture.
Traditional educational approaches like colleges and universities, in addition to corporate training departments, are embracing digital reality – from using online platforms to leveraging VR and AR for training, technology has opened several dimensions in the realm of architectural explorations. Of which, most of them started only this month, as a reaction to the global pandemic.
To capture this movement, I collaborate with Directors of Top Architecture Schools around the world and architects active in Academia.
With thousands of dollars being spent annually on Architectural Education, our journey to the profession is unbending and expensive. It can take up to seven years of study and internships to even “start” a career in architecture and the seven years of preparation do not prepare us adequately for practice. It is widely observed that those who remain in practice and deliver their services in a traditional way, struggle with navigating their way to success, often selling themselves short and feeling caged in their role.
Deep research into the intersection of education and practice and new digital transformation trends in Architecture is captured both in form of a recorded video interview published on YouTube and in print.
+ Show that digital transformation is nothing to be afraid of, rather excited about.
+ To talk about the benefits of digital transformation that can affect the whole industry of Architecture.
+ To inspire people to implement this transition into their own education path and practice.
How developing technology always carries the notion of change with it, and how this change will come and shake the reality of institutional learning as well as traditional ways of delivering practice.
With new education and work practices, new lifestyles emerge, and with them, new opportunities. What are these changes? What are these opportunities?
What is the price? What is the positive and what is the negative of this transition? How can innovation help shape the future of Architecture Education?
What potential does the digital transformation hold for tightening the gap between education and practice and allowing us to better prepare for the real-life scenarios of our profession?
My aim with this project is to generate a form of non-aggressive as well as progressive discussions about this digital transition and capture the opinions of stalwart individuals representing various genres in Architecture.
The purpose is to open a broader discussion with the potential to address the following questions:-
What are the benefits or the price we are going to pay for stepping into the new area of Digital Education?
How would Digital Education in Architecture support World Heritage Preservation?
How can this enable us to shrink the gap between Architectural Education and Practice?
How can we empower Architectural Entrepreneurs to develop alternative sources of income based on selling their expertise online?
Will Digital Transformation contribute to building an industry-wide resilience towards further global crisis?
How can we enable better communication between international designers to understand culture-specific solutions and help deliver sensible design for each region?
Can Digital Education help us form virtual architectural offices?
Can remote universities gain access to knowledge taught by the best in the field?
Will Digital Transformation enable better communication amongst practices, with more adult-learning opportunities for chartered practitioners?
This book is written for Architecture professionals, academics, and newcomers into the profession.
If you chose to study Architecture in the hope of making money one day, read this book as you most likely will have to pivot around the change of our times, and better adapt to build a more resilient and modern approach to architecture as a service and business.
We interview experts coming from practice and academia seeking trends and cutting-edge unique approaches integrating digital technology for inception, execution, research, communication, management, team creation, and integration as well as deliverance of new solutions in form of design and educational projects.
The interviews are held via Zoom, published on YouTube, and are then transcribed for this book.
Alongside these interviews are articles by the contributors and further discussions, delving into the topics and sharing opinions and expertise.
Once we have reached the goal, we plan to publish at the renowned independent publishing house Slanted Publishers.
Yes, they will help us get to the fancy little bookshop next to you!