Learning Outside the classroom: The Whitelands Wood Project: 45 students + 5 trees + many creative specialists + 3 dogs = 6 structures.

Nicola Crowson*, Guido Robazza*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to conferenceOtherpeer-review

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Abstract

A community led by students that goes beyond the traditional design studio.

This year the project promoted a weeklong timber construction workshop in the Whiteland’s wood, where students engaged in the design and build of a series of temporary timber structures, responding to the ecology of the woodland. The structures are designed to remain in place for a one-year period. The timber components recovered will be reused in a sustainable cycle that will engage further cohorts of students. Each making day was supported with a campfire conversation relating to the scales of the hand, body and landscape.

The Portsmouth School of Architecture has nurtured a particular path on building at the scale of 1:1. Taking inspiration from the woodlands and the opportunities presented by the materials. The aim is to make students learn hands-on making and co-creation processes in timber extracted from the woodlands. The experience of designing and making together is transformative. There are no leaders in the design, but only a community of makers. This means everyone can learn from each other as a community of inquiry and everyone has something unique to bring to the process.

We would like to share this story.

Special thanks to many academic colleagues, Team from the EPC, practitioners and creative soles from the faculty. We will acknowledge all contributions in the presentation.

The activities and journey were captured by the following cci students: Emily Langdon – TV film and Broadcast (and) Gabriel Bernard – Photography
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages25
Publication statusPublished - 19 Dec 2022
EventCCI Learning and Teaching Conference 2022 - University of Portsmouth, Eldon Building, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Duration: 19 Dec 202219 Dec 2022

Conference

ConferenceCCI Learning and Teaching Conference 2022
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityPortsmouth
Period19/12/2219/12/22

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