Topic

Critical Concrete, not-for-profit association, focuses on the refurbishment of socially-relevant spaces – affordable housing, cultural centres, and public spaces – through educational programmes. Therefore we are organising for the third time an intensive 3 week summer course in Porto.

After the success of our past summer schools in 2016 and 2017 we are happy to invite all interested participants to our next course in 2018. Throughout the Summer School, students will explore current issues of urban, community life by participating in the sustainable refurbishment of socially relevant spaces in the city of Porto.

Furthermore, we are proud to introduce our Research Lab, in whose agenda we constantly try to improve the work on our self-paced subjects of discussion - namely alternative heating and insulation solutions. You can follow the Research Lab activities in our blog. Currently we start prototyping alternative insulating panels and looking forward to incorporate all advances into our next Summer School.

Learning Goal/Output

From the course, students will gain a mix of practical work, monitored by international and local mentors, and theoretical input. The participants will learn how to collectively design and build social architecture. Students will develop high quality furnitures and architecture with a small budget and restricted time. Therefore, Critical Concrete and their partners research innovative techniques to offer the students new skills and techniques in community engagement and building strategies. Supporting the refurbishment process we offer workshops in alternative heating systems as the rocket stove and currently do research on cardboard insulation panels.

Last but not least, participants will be accompanied by a network of international collectives which support the future projects and promotion of the students as much as its opens new professional perspectives.

Target group

Architecture and design professionals, graduates, students and PhD-students, engineers, makers, DIYers, builders and artists in their respective fields as much as people who want to get a first experience in building with a theoretical input.

Certificate

After successful completion of this course the participants will receive a certificate of participation by the FBAUP, Fine Art School of the University of Porto. The accreditation by universities is not guaranteed, nonetheless, our alumni got 2 ECTS when claiming convalidation to their respective universities