Proximity between radical pedagogies and utopian imagination: A paradigm shift in architectural education

Abstract

The paradigms of the past are being questioned, and the time has come for the architect to equip himself with his most valuable and unique qualities—the ability to provide a vision of a new world and to convey hope. Today, the proximity between the architect and society is remembered, and the Academia has been called to participate in an innovative process. However, Academia is facing a crisis, and the reflection on its repositioning points to the urgency of a paradigm shift. Curiously, the potential of radical and utopian imagination has been recently defended as a response to the current global challenges in the European context. In the 1960s and 1970s, the approximation of these two concepts with Architectural education gave rise to pedagogical experiences that marked the last real innovation in this field. This type of approach and the importance of its return have found resonance in recent theories, sowing the seeds for future pedagogical ecologies in a time when the future of pedagogical radicalism faces new challenges. In this context, and because it is fundamental to recognize the power of this mechanisms, a provocative dialogue between them emerges, warning us to the need for their rooting in the training and practice of Portuguese architects. Therefore, this paper will present a critical reflection through a literature review and original interviews, in order to describe a paradigm shift in Architectural education in Portugal, offering a new perspective on radical and utopian concepts. This reflection underscores the urgency of their urgent (re)approximation by understanding and validating their potential.