Where do we go from here?

Abstract

Reuse in Teaching focuses on the highly topical issue of the adaptive reuse and transformation of buildings. The premise is that even though refurbishing and recycling buildings is gradually becoming part of mainstream practice, the education of future architects is lagging behind. Dealing with existing buildings in an academic context is complex and challenging: it requires additional time, resources and, most importantly, different teaching methods and formats. Based on a research project at the TU Wien, the publication presents a methodological discussion of the work of three separate design studios, including contributions from international experts involved in the project. The book offers both theoretical depth and practical insight, showing how working with the existing requires new teaching formats, studio briefs, and design approaches. It bridges the gap between academia and practice, as most contributors are active in both fields. Rich visual material illustrates not only the students’ work but also the broader pedagogic and conceptual framework behind it. Unlike most books on adaptive reuse, which focus on built projects, Reuse in Teaching foregrounds the implications for design education. It opens up a timely and critical conversation on the future of the architectural design studio in a world where building less and transforming more is becoming a cultural and ecological necessity. The target audience are architectural educators, students, practitioners, researchers, and anyone interested in the future of architecture and its teaching.