Intangible Re-imagined historical spaces between walls: Art installation as an interactive teaching tool in theory-based architecture curricula

Abstract

Theoretical and historically based modules in architectural curricula are usually delivered through traditional teaching methods, making them less interactive for students. The paper explores the impact of the Art-Integrated-Learning (AIL) approach through art installation as a teaching tool in these modules, highlighting the potential to enrich the students’ understanding and engagement, which can lead to interactive curricula being expanded outside the traditional education walls.

The research documents an experimental method tested through Year 2 architectural students for three continuous years in the History of Architecture module. The method is divided into four main phases: the physical model, the assessment, the exhibition, and the semi-structured (survey and interview). Students are divided into groups, each group selects a historical building in Egypt, trying to find some unseen philosophical or functional element to represent it visually through art installations. The model includes: 1) features, the selected element in the space, 2) performance, the selected performance inside the space to visualize it, and 3) representation, the materials selected for the model making.

The outputs were displayed in a public exhibition in a historical building as a representation of the adaptive reuse concept. The findings highlight the potential of integrating art installation in theory-based curriculum, which increases the students' creativity in storytelling. The experience of presenting in a historical place was valuable and gave students the level of trust to represent the cultural narratives intangibly and tangibly to the public, getting feedback from them. The overall results show an enhancement in developing pedagogical approaches offering a new experiential and interactive learning way through art to enrich learning experiences.