Changes in the role of art subjects and methods of their teaching in the context of the architects’ curriculum at the Faculty of Architecture of Wrocław University of Science and Technology

Paweł Jaszczuk

doi:10.5277/arc180204

Abstract

The article discusses changes in the role and methods of teaching art subjects at the Faculty of Architecture of Wrocław University of Science and Technology caused by several modifications of the architects’ education program. The change process contained two opposing poles. On the one hand, the time devoted to conducting classes was shortened; from 450 hours in 1946 to 182 hours in 2007. It was connected with the successive narrowing of the problem issues of classes. This situation was complicated by two more facts: a change in the philosophy of initial design classes and the progressive presence of the computer in the design process, significantly changing the principles of cooperation between students and lecturers. It was connected with the extension of the issues of composition in the curriculum so that a large part of these exercises was carried out in the consultation mode with assigning the work to be done by students as homework. Another problem that was also noticed was the growing lack of ability to record space by students by means of freehand drawing. Thus, with the ever-shorter curriculum, there was also a need to introduce new aspects to art education. The author suggests increasing the number of exercises/classes to explore and create space on various scales and in different aspects, so as to develop the potential of students and show them how to fully observe and experience the world around us, at the same time giving them the tools to change it. It would be possible with a comprehensive revision of the architects’ curriculum at the Faculty of Architecture of Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

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