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The session begins with the presentation of an educational project that was born in Belarus, founded by Alexander Novikov and Elena Karpilova, which seeks to provide children and adolescents with a systems thinking model for learning, based in the architectural work (see below). This is followed by a presentation of the Triennale educational activities programme, which has been implemented continuously since 2019, bridging the gap with the Palácio Sinel de Cordes programme, in addition to the activities conceived for the festival whose next edition is in Fall 2022.
The Lisbon Architecture Triennale is a non-profit organisation that has been in existence since 2007 with the mission of stimulating and promoting thought and practice in architecture. In the Educational Service, we work to raise awareness of the relevance and unifying value of architecture to enhance our experiences through mediation activities and learning tools, across a continuous programme and with specific projects, along the premise of offering lifelong learning to all people. Towards the school community, we seek to increase understanding of the environment to discover architecture in its multiple dimensions and see the world through it: the space where we live, travel, eat, sleep, learn and socialise. With activities aimed at different education levels, we encourage a tangible reading of the discipline to empower children and young people.
This two-part presentation also has the dissemination support of DESCOLA, a joint initiative promoted by EGEAC, dedicated to working closely and collaboratively with teachers and schools, offering training, supporting educational resources and the promotion of creative activities in long-term projects.
The event is hybrid being held online and face to face (Portuguese National Library). This free admission training session is organised in partnership by the Lisbon Triennale, PNA with EGEAC, and Portuguese Architecture Guild, with the support of Hotel Convento do Salvador. Watch the session on youtube.
The Architectural Thinking School for Children was founded in 2016 by the architect Alexander Novikov and the art critic and designer Elena Karpilova, as a complementary educational institution with an innovative pedagogical approach and is located in Minsk, Belarus. The school is aimed at children aged 5 to 15 and teaches architectural thinking as a tool for understanding the modern global world. They took the architect’s work as a model, since they possess a huge range of knowledge and skills: they are good at conducting research, using knowledge from completely different disciplines, creating projects, and presenting them to the public. The systems thinking possessed by a professional architect is what they call architectural thinking.
The school has more than 16 studios: architecture, contemporary art, sculpture, object design, journalism, graphic design, psychology, biology, sociology, political science, economics, etc. Classes relating to all of the studios take place within one common, interdisciplinary programme of study and are conducted by expert practitioners in the relevant fields.
The school programme is designed for seven years of study and is organised in accordance with the principle of "one year, one course". School courses: "Development", "Systems Thinking", "Interdisciplinarity-1, 2", "City Research", and "Professions-1, 2". Each course is divided into four quarters. During each of the quarters, the student completes classes in different studios and, in the end, creates one final project: a book, a film, a map of the city, etc."