PG AS | ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 | Natural Building II: Rammed Earth
The students learned about the rammed earth technique and built a rammed earth floor and bench with mentor Earthman Hanno Burtscher.
Sustainable Architecture
Presentation
Sustainable-Sustainable Architecture is an English-taught post-graduation starting in autumn 2020 and is structured into online courses and practical workshops. The programme focuses on sustainable architecture practices both environmentally and financially. It combines 90 hours of theory with 210 hours of hands-on-experience bridging topics of sustainable construction, participatory design and social project management. The programme is initiated by Critical Concrete in collaboration with ESAP and assisted by guest lecturers and mentors with recognized experience.
Student will co-design and build real social projects in Portugal, as the course is embedded in a project aimed at refurbishing houses of low-income families and public spaces for local communities.
The programme aims to set up a conceptual base for an ecological and social approach to architecture and urbanism and gives its graduates competencies in starting and managing projects in the respective field.
After finishing the programme, students will
- be aware of the need for changing the conventional ways to build and design.
- understand strategies for environmentally friendly construction, circular economy, proper water management and energy efficiency.
- know methods and techniques regarding ecological and natural building as well as low-tech and low-waste applications.
- be able to transfer vernacular construction techniques to today’s needs.
- be conscious of intersectional and inclusive approaches in neighborhood and city planning.
Furthermore, the students will know
- how to run and fund a sustainable project and how to be a responsible professional from the design to the building and maintaining processes.
- how to apply a bottom-up approach and engage local population and institutions.
- how to empower communities through participatory design in order to increase the involvement for people in risk of social exclusion.
Activities
PG AS | ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 | Laboratory II: Woodworking (Furniture)
During Laboratory II, the students built wooden kitchen furniture with mentor Samuel Kalika.
PG AS | ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 | Laboratory II: Cork Insulation, Board and Batten Facade
During Laboratory II, the students finished the cork insulation and board and batten facades with mentors Hugo Lopes and Martina Eandi.
PG AS | ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 | Participatory Design
The students are working with residents in order to collaboratively design the renovations to their home.
PG AS | ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 | Laboratory I: Online Works
The student who couldn’t make it to the Workshop in Porto still produced research papers on self-building sustainable urban systems, prototypes, as well as designed and built upcycled furniture.
PG AS | ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 | Laboratory I: Renovations in Esposende house
Due to the pandemic, only a handful of students were able to make it to the first workshop. Nonetheless, they achieved numerous tasks in the renovation of Carlos and Maria’s ...
PG AS | ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 | First Hands-on Experiments at home
In the first Semester, in the Natural Building I module, the SSA students got to experiment with properties of Mycelium and Raw Earth. In ‘Inside Mycelium’, they tested different substrates ...
PG AS | ACADEMIC YEAR 2020-21 | Welcome Ceremony
In the welcome Ceremony, the SSA students, many of the Post-Graduation instructors and the Critical Concrete and ESAP coordinating and mentoring team introduce themselves. Important information on the program and ...