The Waterfront as a framework for cross-curricular learning at the service of society
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5821/jida.2025.13669Keywords:
cross-disciplinary studio, architectural projects, teaching innovationAbstract
This paper presents a teaching experience developed in the fifth-year Studio of the Architecture degree, integrating the fields of architectural design and construction. At Studio III, the waterfront is introduced as an urban context sensitive to water, where students research issues such as mobility, cruise tourism, and the climate emergency. Within this framework, infrastructures are redefined and adapted to urban public spaces in response to new climate scenarios, while the adaptive reuse of heritage is explored in transforming post-industrial sites. This context provides students with the opportunity to confront complex challenges, where research becomes a central component. The studio adopts the pedagogical model of architectural design education grounded in Research by Design (RbD). This framework structures reflective, critical, and creative learning processes, fostering collaborative and cooperative approaches while strengthening the linkage between academic training and professional practice.
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