Building aedificatores. Cross-analyzing some teaching approaches in architecture and civil engineering

• Author: S.A. Purcaru/M.A.P. Purcaru
• Position: Faculty of Architecture, Ion Mincu University of Bucuresti/Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 9-16

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 8 (57) No. 1 - 2015

BUILDING AEDIFICATORES.

CROSS-ANALYZING SOME TEACHING

APPROACHES IN ARCHITECTURE AND

CIVIL ENGINEERING

S.A. PURCARU1 M.A.P. PURCARU2

Abstract: Education may be a tool in mastering the changes that

permanently occur. Therefore, re-evaluating and updating teaching

approaches plays an important role and in view of the solid bond between

architecture and civil engineering, a cross-analysis seems useful. The paper

cross-examines some established, instituted teaching approaches rendered

through the filter of personal experience: analysis through synthesis,

background reference, critique, brainstorming, jigsaw and R.A.I.. In terms of

comparison, this dynamic examination improves the professional relation

between the two domains and their relative understanding. In terms of

particular observation, each field may gain from transposing and

experiencing suitable approaches from the other one.

Key words: teaching approaches, architecture, civil engineering, update,

cross-analysis.

1 Faculty of Architecture, Ion Mincu University of Bucureşti.

2 Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Transilvania University of Braşov.

1. Introduction

In the light of significant, continuous and

global transformations that have impact on

the building industry, the issue of keeping

education and instruction in this field up-to-

date is of great interest and actuality, being

the core of many debates.

Three questions must be raised before

entering the subject, questions that are

intended to clarify the reason and meaning

of the proposed topic.

First of all, why facing architecture and

civil engineering in terms of teaching

methods? The two mentioned fields go hand

in hand. Mostly after ending the education

period, and barely before. Of course,

different fields require different approaches,

but somehow regarding the roots of each

domain’s knowledge transmission, namely

the beginnings constituted by teaching, it

can be of significant help for the future

collaboration of the domains. Peter

Buchanan observes that, in spite of the

multidisciplinarity shown by the act of

building, ‘architectural education is still

geared to producing the solitary genius,

rather than today’s collaborator’ [3, p. 92],

although he points out the necessity and

benefits of such a genius in terms of

guidance and final judgments. So, building

valuable and adaptive professionals in both

architecture and civil engineering has its

foundation on education, putting these