Abstract

The distinction between various quantifiable and qualitative interpretations of place across academic and professional disciplines of the built environment presents a challenge to educators seeking to engage students with a balance of theory knowledge and practical skills for meaningful urban investigation. This paper examines a pedagogic framework developed in response to this challenge. By integrating abstract and experiential methods to study the city, the framework includes a series of teaching, learning and assessment methods that link phenomenological place theory with evidence- based activities for place-making in city spaces.Using qualitative and anecdotal feedback from a collaborative project involving undergraduate architecture and visual [graphic] communications students in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the paper discusses the project outcomes, evaluating some of the methods and the tools used to educate architects and designers for better skills to understand urban issues beyond the classroom.