Open Mind – a practical workshop: how Liverpool School of Architecture introduces 1st year students to conceptual thinking and reflective practices

Lucretia Ray and Luke Bushnell-Wye (Liverpool School of Architecture, University of Liverpool)

The opening session at this year’s ARCLIB Conference, was delivered by colleagues
in the Liverpool School of Architecture and followed the format and content of an
interactive workshop that is delivered to first year Architecture students at the
University.

To facilitate their independent learning and development, first year students are
encouraged to become creative and critical thinkers through a module that helps
them define what has influenced them and consider how this now shapes their
understanding of themselves and their environment. Students who are new to
university are encouraged through guided activities to develop their creative and
reflective skills at the beginning of their university education, and to challenge any
preconceptions they might have of architecture as simply being about building
practice or space planning.

Within this context, we, as the audience, acted as a dummy first-year group. Alongside the visual presentation, Luke and Lucretia provided us with short texts to provoke discussion and feedback in breakout groups.

This was a hugely thought-provoking and enjoyable session, providing ideas and approaches that could also be applied to teaching in the field of digital and information literacy. For example, having students write “a letter to me from 6 weeks ago”, where they are encouraged to develop a critical approach in reflecting on the skills they have acquired. Or having students design their own library, beginning with a brief, and incorporating all of the senses.

John Wright, University of Liverpool