Communities of craft: the act of learning as the foundation for architectural design

Abstract

Architecture of learning currently manifests in the form of classrooms and residence halls, but these places could be more effective if they were formed around specific activities and theories of education. This project illustrates how the boundary between daily life and learning can be bridged through design, creating healthier and more fulfilling experiences for a broader community in a more compact campus. In this project, unique skill-building agendas inform different educational spaces; studios for glassblowing, carpentry, clay-modeling, and found-object assemblage are woven into the campus with important relationships between areas for learning, living, and socializing. The design agenda for academic spaces focuses on creating zones for experiential learning progression. Novices are positioned to observe and interact with more adept individuals, experts occupy stations that can be seen and exemplified, and hobbyists from the surrounding neighborhoods have space to hone skills at their own pace. The proximity between the residential, learning, and event spaces creates a landscape for this learning hub to become an important part of a local community culture.