Study Architecture 
ProPEL 
Author(s): Simon Colwill
This paper focuses on the experiences of a landscape architecture educator who has been assisting an architecture-based design-build studio since 2006. It examines how several projects throughout the last 7 years have profited from the interdisciplinary teaching approach.The complexity of today’s architectural tasks often requires interdisciplinary solutions and cooperation. Architectural practice requires highly qualified employees with interdisciplinary and specialized knowledge, and skills. These requirements are often not reflected in academic curricula, this is often due to:- differing expectations, theories or ideologies- lack of communication between disciplines- lack of acceptance of other disciplines- differing timetables- the mutual recognition of subjects- administrative processes (which often complicate collaboration)- lack of timeThe “Mexico Project” is a design-build studio that introduces an interdisciplinary teaching approach for the built-environment. It aims to establish an educational infrastructure that reflects “real life” design processes. Architects, Landscape-Architects, Engineers and Craftsmen participate in the project which is run by three educators from differing disciplines. Each discipline has specific goals and priorities within the project that are reflected in the teaching programme. The participants gain a deeper understanding of architectural concepts und benefit immensely from increased peer learning. By working in interdisciplinary teams and being supervised by educators from other disciplines they become more sensitive to the interests of other disciplines and gain multidisciplinary communication skills “Mexico Projects” not only focus on the built structure itself, but also on the entire site and its relation to the surroundings. It also aims to address the broader needs of the client and community and go beyond functional necessity. The interdisciplinary teaching methods allow the students to tackle more complex planning tasks and develop more holistic design solutions. Each project seeks to be exemplary with regard to design solutions, detailing and implementation and become a model for future local developments. This paper reflects on a series of five design-build “Mexico Project” case studies covering the nature of interdisciplinary design-build education- San Martín Itunyoso, 2007/08- Guadalupe Miramar, 2008/09- Zaachila, 2009/10- San Jeronimo Tecoatl, 2011/12- Bugambilias, 2013/14These projects challenge standard practices for traditional design studios, and show how we can enhance education in the built environment by implementing interdisciplinary teaching methods. This paper argues that interdisciplinary teaching methods not only intensify and multiply the learning experience but also provide students with holistic qualities that are essential to the profession today. It also aims to support the institutionalisation of interdisciplinary architectural education by reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of this approach over the last 7 years.
Volume Editors
Sergio Palleroni, Ted Cavanagh & Ursula Hartig
ISBN
978-0-935502-94-7
