How technocrats hijacked antipedagogy

Visions for Architectural Education – Unpublished voice in internal departmental discussion about forms of education [Action Research Contribution] Based on Dissertation Dr Marcin Mateusz Kołakowski (Ph.D, inż. arch., Dipl, -Ing) Supervisor : Dr. Sarah Amsler University of Lincoln: February 2013 Introduction – barking up the wrong authority Zygmunt Bauman (2007) in his book Liquid Times: Living in an Age of Uncertainty offers a deep insight into changes of the post-industrial, hyper capitalist, free-market culture. During the whole 20th century – as Bauman observed – we were afraid that the danger to our society lurks from one or another kind of authoritarian, totalitarian political system. During the century, the futurist visions envisaged this gloomy dystopian reality either in form of Orwellian 1984 world or in the shape of Huxleyan ‘Brave New World’. According to Bauman, the present time is surprisingly different. Most of our problems, dangers and anxieties come unexpectedly from the opposite direction. None of the great totalitarian authorities of technologically-developed part of the world wants to take our freedom away; to the contrary, we have no choice but to take the freedom, which as Baumann notes, comes with a psychological burden. In consumerism, deregulated, laissez-faire, individualistic culture, it is not the case that public authorities want to invade our private lives but just opposite – the public sphere is invaded by the private sphere. We pay more attention to private lives of politicians, celebrities and even individuals in talk shows than global politics and social issues. Bauman calls it ‘liquid modernity’, where everything not necessarily ‘wants to be’ but ‘has to be’ incohesive, light, ever-changing, non-committed – liquid. Foucault's panopticon became too expensive – says Bauman – today no one wants to put us to any prison; instead we have to lock ourselves there, self-guard and pay for renting the prison cell. No one forces us in any direction, we have to self-direct. Yet the new world order, just like the old, operates beyond our reach. There is, however, an important twist: we cannot make demands because it has no return address; there are no offices, no one to talk to, it operates outside our borders, with only a logo, a passive email box and recorded phone messages. Although Bauman did not discuss ‘learning’ as such, his argument could help us to understand the peculiar situation in which education theory found itself today. Western pedagogical philosophy has gone a long way since the time of the so called black pedagogy of Sulzer (1784) quoted at the beginning of this essay to today’s antiauthoritarian theories of critical pedagogy such as Illitch, Kincheloe or Paulo Freire. Something that was once subversive and revolutionary is today often applauded by the official bodies shaping educational policy which are more than happy to quote what is supposedly Einstein’s thoughts about letting students free – ‘not teaching them’ but offering them ‘conditions’ instead of the knowledge. Isn’t this a success of humanity over bureaucracy? It seems hard to argue against these ideas, but why is it that as a teacher much too often have I received emails like the third quotation opening this essay? In the first part of this essay I would like to look at how the idea of ‘renegotiating power in the classroom with students’ developed historically. I would like to show that even if some of the current educational policies do indeed refer to this antiauthoritarian tradition which has been developing for over a hundred years, these ideas have been highjacked – they have been decontextualized from their initial intention, they now miss their crucial elements or were cherry picked to serve a different purpose altogether. Secondly – as Baumann pointed out – the antiauthoritarian theory started to be less relevant than anticipated and new problems of liquid times are waiting to be challenged by new theories and new practice. In the second part of the essay, I will analyze the debate which is now present in architectural education between concerning intelligent base teaching (IBD) vs. narrative teaching. Fierce arguments from both sides show a situation where the authoritarian tradition, after becoming an established and accepted form of teaching establishment, now provokes doubts, discontent and pushes some groups of scholars towards alternative methods of teaching. This debate itself constitutes an interesting case study which shows a kind of crisis of antiauthoritarian thoughts, although it still does not show straightforward and convincing answers as to how to resolve the problem. At the end of the essay I would like to outline some suggestions towards resolving the deadlock. The proposed strategy of ecological teaching will be based on personal experience in the course of architecture

Paper tube constructions workshop run by Shigeru Ban [participation, research] Boisbuchet, France; 10-19 Jun 2001

First paper tube construction by Shigeru Ban in Europe – conference hall in Boisbuchet: preparing paper tubes, water proofing paper tubes, metal bracing, covering the construction with roofing material

Primary school workshops [organisation, facilitation, research] Belmond Primary School School, London; 1-20 Mar 2010

Series of workshops for primary school children about architecture, urban planning and structure engineering. Children engage in designing buildings and cities, as well as constructing a 3-metre high arch made of 600mm long sticks

Uniqueness, challenges and dilemmas of teaching first year architecture

Visions for Architectural Education – Unpublished voice in internal departmental discussion about forms of education [Action Research Contribution] Everyone who ever taught the first year must have felt its uniqueness. Literature as much as internet forums of academics involved in teaching the first year clearly show patterns pointing out the uniqueness, challenges and dilemmas which all define the importance of this phase of teaching design. - For most first-year students, enrolment on the architecture course marks the beginning of a new chapter in life with many lifestyle changes. For some of them, this could be an unpleasant experience as they might feel homesick and overwhelmed with new responsibilities. For others, this might mean an unprecedented excitement of freedom, new circles of friends, etc. New exciting attractions may be a distraction which could compete with learning. On the other hand, the beginning of new period in life could be connected with unique openness and engagement, almost like “New Year’s resolutions”. The highest attendance and engagement is observed at the beginning of the academic year. - In order to release students’ creative energy and create a synergy between students’ new lifestyle, we decided to join social and learning activities. The expectations that group work and versatile activities would keep the momentum were confirmed

Log house workshop run by Hill Holt Wood [participation, research] Hill Holt Wood, Lincolnshire; 14 May 2011

Workshop organised by the Education Centre at Hill Holt Wood in Lincolnshire: preparing and debarking the logs, preparing the joinery, constructing log walls

Earthship Fife construction workshop run by Michael Reynolds [participation, research] Kinghorn, Scotland; 1-10 Aug 2002

Construction of a visitor centre in Kinghorn run by Mike Raynolds. Autonomous house – Earthship – made out of car tires, rammed earth and recycled materials, construction of a green roof. “What is an Earthship?” Just as a ship setting off on a long voyage must provide for all the needs of its crew, so an Earthship provides for the basic needs of shelter, water and electricity through its design and systems. An Earthship is a passive solar building with thermal mass. This means that it maintains a comfortable living temperature year round. It is made from natural and recycled materials – predominantly earth-rammed tyres and aluminium cans. It is powered by renewable energy, such as wind, water and solar power. It catches its own water supply from rainwater, and treats and contains its own sewage in planter beds. Earthships are a concept, not a set design. They can be adapted for any climate worldwide. Earthships offer people the opportunity to build their own homes and make a conscious decision to live lightly on the earth. Both the functionality and the aesthetics of the Earthship have been adapted for Scotland in the Earthship Fife project. “Where did they come from?” Earthships were first developed in South Western USA in the 1970s. Since then they have evolved tremendously and now exist in virtually every climate. There are over 2,000 Earthships and they are spreading fast! For Earthship Biotecture in New Mexico, please visit Earthship Biotecture “Where did Earthship Fife come from?” Earthship Fife was brought to Scotland by Paula Cowie, the founder of SCI. Paula visited Taos, New Mexico, in 1999 and “accidentally” stumbled upon one of the Earthship communities. They soon became the subject of her Masters dissertation at Stirling University and, not content to look at only the theory, she set up the organisation to fundraise for the first UK Earthship. In 2002 the funds were in place, planning permission was secure, and Michael Reynolds and a team of experienced Earthship builders arrived to deliver the training course that started the building. During the 2 year building period over 225 volunteers enjoyed some aspect of creating Earthship Fife

Mud and stud restoration workshop organised jointly with East Midlands Earth Structure Society [organisation, participation, research] Tumby, Lincolnshire; 19 Oct 2013

Student workshop for ArchiLOVE - Students Research Group - coordinated by MM Kolakowski and EMESS (East Midlands Earth Structure Society). One-day workshop on restoration of 2 star listed building in ‘Lincolnshire Mud and Stud’ construction

Straw bale retrofitting workshop run by Jakub Wihan [participation, research] Bridport, UK; 29 Jun- 8 Aug 2012

Workshop during a construction of a new extension and retrofitting the existing old bungalow in Bridport: flexible foundation, glass foam plinth, roof plate carpentry, retrofitting the existing walls with half a straw bale insulation, constructing new straw bale walls in the method employed by Barbara Jone

Earth building constructions workshop run by Gernot Minke [participation, research] University of Kassel, Germany; 17-21 Jun 2002

Earth Building Workshop in Kassell (Germany) organised by Prof. Gernot Minke. Various earth techniques: rammed earth, wattle and doub, nubian vaults, earth plastering, earth dome

Memory Cottages: loadbearing straw bale house workshop run by Barbara Jones – director of Straw Works [participation, research] Suffolk; 28-31 Jun 2014

Straw Bale House in Suffolk – workshop run by Barbara Jones and Straw Works: flexible foundation, stawbale walls; window detailing. Straw Works has been giving advice and support, and ran a very successful course to build the walls. Martyn and volunteers have been working hard to finish everything off ready for the roof to be buil