EXPO #20: Bridging the gap between academia and practice

For our 20th expo we are exploring the two ideas of our own organisers: Kim van Doesburg and Anna Kozera. For this expo we especially welcome practitioners and students interested to learn from each other!

Kim, after finishing her studies and entering the world of practice, realised how the challenges coming after this step can be overwhelming. A work colleague getting sick the day before the main presentation, a local resident disagreeing with the proposal, unexpected obstacles underground having a huge impact on the design above ground… We never know what will come onto our path and how we respond to it, and how do we know what is the right way to respond? Is there a right way?

This gap between study and practice inspired Kim to create a concept for a scenario game Challenges from practice, exploring how we can respond to these unexpected challenges within a safe environment. Within the first part of the Expo she will explain the concept and guide the first test with all participants. Kim especially invites practitioners as well as students to discuss how the concept works, hear your feedback, what should be continued and what to develop to make it more interesting.

Anna, after years of various work experience, finds the most challenging way to combine her idea of practice with possible work structures she is aware of. After receiving great feedback with our diplomas we are leaving to find a job on the market. Reality is cruel where most of the time we are not working on topics we studied and believed. We work hard for others, work hard for ourselves, trying to make ‘smaller evil’. Then a huge part of us in the architecture field is leaving with huge burnout, becoming IT specialists, UX designers, yoga teachers.

This gap between academia and work environment, comfortable but uninspiring (?) municipality and hard-pressure(?) private design offices inspired Anna to open the debate about new(?) Ways of practice. She realised that we often don't know much about systems we operate within and as we want to transform them it is necessary. Freelance, detachering, private advisory, stichtings, NGOs and research institutes: With this part Anna wants to focus on knowledge and experience exchange between different practitioners and idealists.

AGENDA:

18:30 inloop

19:30 start

21:00 closing with drinks

Host or Publisher Urbanistas Rdam