The Role of International Exposure in Urban Design Education 'Case Study of Real City Lab'

Abstract

On a generic level, linking academic education to the practical and community needs is one of the most important criteria for the success of any educational institution, it could be interpreted that Academic institutions offering Architecture & Urban Design programs requires such an important link as many of the academic accreditation processes considers this linkage as one of the most important evaluation criteria for Architectural & Urban Design educational institutions, in addition to the impact that such institutions can have on their local communities.

Bridging the gap between the academia and real life experiences is one of the most pressing and challenging agenda facing the Architecture & urban design education in Egypt, especially in the Governmental architecture & urban design schools, considering the large numbers of enrolled students.

Unfortunately, most of the Governmental Egyptian architectural institutions continue to practice same old teaching methodologies that have sustained their particular beliefs and paradigms for decades without considering the emerging new variables and requirements. On the other hand, many innovative learning ideas and strategies for teaching Architectural & urban design curriculums are ascending today. Few researches have been made regarding this aspect.

The aim of this paper is to highlight the process that is concerned to enhance the urban design education quality, the curriculum and the teaching methods of the Architecture Bachelor program in general with a special focus on Faculty of Fine Arts - Helwan University in Egypt, as a Case study.

Focussing on the new didactic tools and applied research components are developed for the bachelor of architecture program, which impart knowledge to understand the current urban issues and urban regeneration. Adding a strong orientation on practice and applied research to the existing curriculum that will lead the students to gain higher awareness towards real urban issues and urban regeneration.

The study adopted a methodology, which directly corresponded to the objective stated above based on setting an overview for the local urban design teaching issues. It also analyse the existing problems and limitations in urban design education in Egypt, and as a case study the paper explores and analyse how could the international exposure and experience of students of architecture of the faculty of Fine arts – Helwan University affects their practices, performance and gained skills, in the frame work of the real city lab project which is a cooperation project between the TUB Germany and the college of Fine Arts – Helwan University in Egypt. As well as the authors’ personal teaching experiences in urban design's learning tools, exercises will be presented.

Keywords: Urban Design, Architecture Education, urban design, community participation