Faculty of the Built Environment

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498: Integrating Sustainability and Environmental Design in an African Architecture Curriculum:
(Passive and Low Energy Architecture, 2008-10-28) Olweny, Mark R. O.
While the majority of Ugandans live in energy poverty, contemporary architecture in the country is for the most part energy inefficient. Progress and development is shown through the inclusion of air-conditioners, while choices made in the construction of buildings ignore concerns about the wider environmental context in which architecture is situated. Although architects in Uganda are aware of sustainability and environmental issues and the need for strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings, the ability to translate information into built form is limited by the fact that many have not been given the appropriate tools to apply this information in the local context. The introduction to environmental and sustainable issues for many architects in Uganda has been through the traditional mode, in which environmental issues were presented as ‘addon’ courses, delivered by ‘specialists’, in independent lecture sessions, with little if any attempt made to integrate this knowledge into design projects. The design studio viewed as a place for aesthetic exploration, with technical and environmental issues regarded as an impediment to this. Introducing Sustainability and Environmental design into the curriculum as an integrated component in the design studio is an important strategy to enabling graduating architects to make decisions concerning sustainability and environmental design as part of the design process, rather than as an add on extra. Over the past three years, the School of the Built Environment at the Uganda Martyrs University has transformed its curriculum in an effort to make the architecture curriculum more responsive to environmental concerns. The new integrated curriculum sought to make sustainability and environmental design integral to the design studio in an effort to address growing environmental concerns in Uganda. This paper presents outcomes of these studios as well as reporting on feedback from students who have been through the programme.
Environmental Sustainable Design and Energy Efficiency in Architecture Education in East Africa
(2013) Olweny, Mark R. O.
The inclusion of Environmental Sustainable Design (ESD) in architectural education is an important paradigmatic shift for contemporary architecture education, in view of growing concerns for Energy Efficiency (EE) and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions attributed to the building industry. Schools of architecture across the world have undertaken to incorporate ESD as components of programmes: in specific course units; as electives; or in some cases transformed entire programmes to place ESD at the core of the curriculum. For architecture schools seeking recognition and validation through the CAA for instance, it is now essential that they demonstrate inclusion, or at the very least show a move towards incorporating ESD into the curriculum. This paper reports on a study carried out on architectural education in East Africa. It took in all schools of architecture in the region: Kenya (Nairobi University & Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology); Rwanda (Kigali Institute of Science and Technology); Tanzania (Ardhi University), and; Uganda (Makerere University & Uganda Martyrs University). The study sought to review the state of architectural education in the region in order to appreciate how architecture education is responding to the contemporary challenges and opportunities related to ESD and EE in the education of architects. With architectural education viewed as a primary conduit for the transmission of architectural culture, how is architecture education in East Africa responding to these challenges and opportunities?
Ethics of a Brick: Ethical Positions in Built Environment Education in Uganda
(School of the Built Environment, University of Nottingham, UK, 2009-09-09) Olweny, Mark R. O.
Architecture has among its goals, to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of society. It is therefore inevitable that ethical decisions are made in the process making architecture. The perceived value of the product, ‘shelter’ is often, taken for granted – until something goes wrong. It is only then that questions arise about quality of the product, the values of practitioners, and as a matter of course, to discussions about ethical positions forged as part of the education process. Contrary to common belief, ethical positions are not intrinsically inherent in society, but are learned as part of the formal and/or informal education process. As part of the five or six year architecture programme, students are exposed to a multitude of ethical positions, from basic value judgements related to beauty and aesthetics - good and bad; to investigations of historical attempts to portray truth and purity; to the more pragmatic and contemporary issues dealing with context, sustainability and social equality. While we debate the global issues of sustainability, the very essence of the design and construction of buildings comes into question – the brick, the essence of most construction in Uganda, thus becomes a symbol of this discourse. The Brick encapsulates a number of ethical positions, not only ecological and economic aspects of sustainability, but just as important, the social issues completing the triple bottom line. Not only in its physical form, but also as a metaphor, the brick can be viewed as a encapsulating various ethical positions in the educational system. This paper looks at educational context within which architecture education is situated in Uganda, and how this may have an impact on the eventual ethical positions taken by professionals.
Investigating the architecture of architecture education in Uganda:
(The Architectural Science Association, ANZAScA, 2010) Olweny, Mark R. O.
For all the discourse on the state of architecture education today, little is written about the student experience in architecture schools. With increasing emphasis on Service Quality, Learning Outcomes, and Completion Rates, understanding student motives, and perspectives of professional education is particularly significant. This paper reports on the findings of a research study that gathered views of key stakeholders in architecture education, and is part of a broader study examining architecture education in the context of East Africa and Uganda in particular. The paper presents the findings of Focus Group Discussions held with students at Part I and Part II levels of the architecture programme in Uganda. Of interest, were the perceptions of students in relation to their chosen careers, as well as their experience in the programmes, stemming from anecdotal evidence indicating that a hidden curriculum in programmes presented a significant challenge for students, at times having a negative impact on their learning. While not conclusive at this stage, the initial findings suggest that a lot can be learned from what students reveal about how they relate to their programme of study, and may be valuable in defining a revised approach to architecture education in East Africa.
Listen without prejudice: The design studio as a discursive environment (or) Helping students learn in architecture education
(Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), 2020-03) Olweny, Mark R. O.
Learning how to learn is an essential part of architectural education, but relies on the confluence of a number of elements: effective teaching, knowledge construction, and active engagement with new knowledge in the design studio. It is here that collaboration between learners and educators is fostered, through socialization processes embedded in this discursive environment. Challenges in ensuring constructive engagement are twofold: for students, coming into architectural education means having to adopt new learning approaches, and adapt to teaching methods and styles they were previously unaware of; while also having to engage with instructors, whose approach to teaching are at times ritualized, making use of methods and techniques largely derived from prior experiences as students. This can create an environment that runs counter to the discursive learning environment that we believe the studio to be, and hindering effective learning. How then can architectural education help students develop valuable learning skills, as a core element architectural education? This paper takes the position that listen to students and appreciating their needs is fundamental in aiding their transition into and through architectural education. Listening without prejudice, not being judgemental, and opening ourselves as instructors to further learning forms a key element in helping student learn. Appreciating that any discursive engagement is two-way, therefore allowing the voice of students to emerge is crucial in building not only their confidence, but generating dialogue as a core element of collaboration and sharing. The paper discusses activities undertaken in a school of architecture in East Africa, formulated to allow for discourse in a context where such engagements are not traditionally part of education; a challenge for architectural education whose signature pedagogical approach is premised on the ability to have open discussions. These activities were geared to improve interactions within the design studio, not only between students and instructors, but amongst students, helping dispelling some of the myths embedded in architectural education, and uncloaking the black box of architectural education for instructors and students alike, and improving the quality of teaching and learning in the process.
Socialisation in Architecture Education
(2013) Olweny, Mark R. O.
Architecture education is an engaging process; long hours in the design studio, a high level of one-on-one instruction, and intense peer review. The process, which extends over the years of formal education, is instrumental in the transformation of students into architects. This transformation, or more appropriately ‘socialisation’, defined by Bragg as “… that process by which individuals acquire the values, attitudes, norms, knowledge, and skills needed to perform their roles acceptably in the group or groups in which they are, or seek to be, members.”1 Through this process, in addition to garnering the knowledge and skills required of them (explicit curriculum), students are initiated into the [cultural] norms of the profession; norms that are not explicitly stated in the curriculum, but are nevertheless important for anyone seeking to participate as a member of the profession (implicit curriculum). With architecture education having no defined pedagogy, no specific curriculum and no instructional manual, it can be hypothesised that the implicit aspects of architecture education may be significantly influential in the transformation of students into architects. This paper presents on some of the findings of a study that investigated the nature of socialisation within architecture education in East Africa. The lack of any significant research on architecture education in the region, necessitated a broad based study, undertaken through a mixed methods approach, including: a review of published information on the programmes; visits to schools of architecture, to conduct interviews with students and faculty; a review of validation documents (where available); and, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) through which qualitative data could be gathered, providing descriptive experiences of participants. The findings of the FGDs are the focus of the current paper.
Socialisation:a perilous transition from novice to architect
(Architectural Education Otherwhere, 2014-08-06) Olweny, Mark R. O.
Architectural education includes both formal and informal learning components, instrumental in the transformation of novices into architects. The informal component incorporates tacit aspects of education that can’t be readily quantified, and thus are often taken for granted (Stevens, 1998). These aspects include: clothing worn, language used, and criteria employed in assessment and judgement of quality, geared to preparing individuals for a particular profession (Coleman, 2010; Strickfaden and Heylighen, 2010). This transformation is otherwise known as socialisation, defined by Bragg, 1976: 6) as “… that process by which individuals acquire the values, attitudes, norms, knowledge, and skills needed to perform their roles acceptably in the group or groups in which they are, or seek to be, members.” Socialisation incorporates aspects of the curriculum that cannot be conveyed or garnered through books or lectures, but garnered through experience and immersion in aspects of professional education, that are ‘caught’ rather than ‘taught’. For Stevens (1998: 196), socialisation is “… an integral part of architectural education,” where the cultural aspects of the profession are “… slowly absorbed from those who are already cultivated.” This provides a historic link to the origins of the profession, and a “… sense of kinship with centuries of traditions, thoughts, and personalities […] the true tie that binds those who practice architecture with those who teach it and study it.” (Boyer and Mitgang, 1996: 4) Here, architectural Education is thus intimately tied to place, and society, with the resultant socialisation, influential on the way architecture students learn to think and act.
A study of thermal comfort and thermal preferences in the upland tropical climate of Uganda, Proceedings of 9th Windsor Conference: Making Comfort Relevant, Cumberland Lodge
(Windsor, 2016) Olweny, Mark R. O.; Mugagga, L.L; Nedala, T
Upland tropical climates, are often regarded as ‘benign’, but are of increasing concern, particularly with regard to thermal comfort in the context of climate change induced thermal comfort of university students in the central region of Uganda. The study was undertaken in two parts: the initial phase (reported in this paper), looking at thermal comfort in student’s accommodation, and the second in teaching spaces, both carried out during the dry (hot) season. temperature rises. Further, in light of increased economic prosperity and associated lifestyle changes, that suggest a trend toward the use of mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning equipment, Thermal comfort parameters collected include: Temperature, and Relative Humidity, as well as personal adaptations such as clo and Met. Questionnaires were used to garner student’s perceptions and acceptability of their thermal environment and other subjective measures. The how people perceive, respond and adapt to climatic conditions emerges as an area of interest in these regions. This paper reports the findings of an ongoing study investigating findings of this study indicate a neutral temperature of 26.8°C derived using the Griffiths method. The wide range of comfort votes suggest varied preferences and adaptations for this upland tropical climate and the complexities related to thermal comfort in naturally ventilated building
Technology and Architecture Education in Uganda
(The Architectural Science Association ANZAScA, 2006) Olweny, Mark R. O.
Architecture education is a relatively new undertaking in Uganda. Despite this opportunity to develop an updated curriculum and pedagogy, an old paradigm continues to persist; isolating the teaching of architectural technology from ‘main stream’ design studios. The consequential inability by graduates to link architectural design and architectural technology in design is evident throughout Uganda, often with disastrous outcomes. This paper discusses the implementation of integrated design studios in the architecture programme at the Uganda Martyrs University. Using a Project-Based Learning approach, these studios sought to introduce architecture technology as an integral part of the design studio, enabling students to build a holistic view of their designs. Two studios are the focus of this paper, Architecture Studio I, the first studio in the Bachelor of Architecture graduate programme which had a fully integrated studio, and Design Studio III, a second year studio in the undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Building Design and Technology. The outcomes of the studios suggest students are better able to understand and apply technology in their projects and derive meaningful design outcomes if they are presented with the information as related to the design project, rather than as secondary information are given in support courses. Students will come to care about the constructed world only if academic staff can show them why this is worthwhile. Simply telling students to think about and experience the built realm differently (or to have them arrive at this through abstract design exercises) will have little long-term effect – as the contemporary constructed environment all too often confirms. (Coleman, 2003:353).
To Build or Not to Build: Going Live is [Not] Just Being Practical!
(Association of Architectural Educators, 2014) Ahimbisibwe, Achilles; Olweny, Mark R. O.; Ndibwami, Alex; Thomas, Paul; Lubingo, Mathieu; Katta, Jude
Increasingly students and faculty alike are calling for a “hands-on” approach to architecture and building construction as an integral part of the architectural education. Schools of architecture have implemented courses to address this need, notably: the Harvard Graduate School of Design's 'Project on the City’; the design-build ‘Rural Studio’ run by Auburn University; and the Over-the-Rhine Design-Build Studio out of Miami University. Such activities are considered a good way to enhance problem-solving skills, dealing with client groups, working with different materials, construction techniques and methods, and preparing students for future practice. The courses run largely in parallel to the established design studio, mostly as electives or summer courses, but nevertheless, present as a ‘tectonic shift’,1 moving from the traditional structure of architecture education, based largely on the studio, with associated support courses, to an approach that seeks to supplement the learning through interactive projects that expose students to a range of experiences to enhance the architectural education experience. Regardless of the significance of these moves internationally, there has been only limited penetration of this approach in architectural education in East Africa. In the context of East Africa, the studio is regarded as being where students demonstrate their creative abilities, viewed as designing flamboyant buildings, often without any real sites or context to deal with - in effect, poor imitations of the real world. The notion of ‘practical’ gets lost within the context of architectural education as the nurturing of individuals who are ‘Master Builders’ or ‘Experts’, but not versed in the actual production of architecture, and how to respond directly the needs of clients. A perennial plea from applicants to the architecture programme at Uganda Martyrs University (UMU) is to join a ‘practical programme’. This indicates a demand for something more, or different, from architectural education, although it does raise a question: ‘what does practical mean in the context of architecture education?’ From a practice point of view, this suggests practice-ready graduates. However, with students only exposed to limited architecture practice as part of their educational experience, this raises two questions; how do students acquire the necessary skills to enhance their educational experience, and more significant, what is the purpose of architectural education? This is important with regard to future practice in the context of an unknown future. The lack of engagement with practical courses makes teaching of architecture somewhat difficult, with students generally unable to seek innovative solutions as a consequence. Thus, there is a need to engage students beyond mere book knowledge as part of their architectural education. A design-build workshop, hosted by Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), was to introduce students to some practical aspects of architecture, in this case through the use of research on poured earth construction. The three main objectives of the workshop were to: expose students to the nature of materials; engage with a learn-by-doing construction approach and; to educate in collaboration with fellow students. This paper reports on an initial venture into live projects in the context of architectural education in Uganda. It looks at the opportunities and challenges associated with this educational approach in the context of numerous north-south initiatives, but only a few schemes initiated from the global south.

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