Urban Tools - FULL!!!
!THIS COURSE IS FULL!
When investigating the Indian urban context, one discovers how functions and needs are met with small-scale solutions in a way that is not as present in Swedish or Western society. Within these functions and solutions are imbedded strong incentives towards an alternative perspective on growth and sustainable development. Despite these inspiring potentials, not all of the needs and desires are met in a satisfactory way, and many new needs emerge as cities and lifestyles change and adapt to new agendas.
This workshop aims at exploring needs in the urban environment that could be achieved through tools or toys, while considering what in society is left over and can be re-used and re-evaluated, or given new purposes. This will be done through the production of full-scale prototypes or models.
The workshop is a collaboration between the Architecture course, Resources.10 and Annette Felleson, junior lecturer in charge of the woodshop at KKH. It will be open to all students and will emphasise the collaborative possibilities between architects and artists. The workshop will be led by Arvind Gupta, an Indian scientist, pedagogue and toy inventor, using »as found« materials as a means to make knowledge accessible through play for all segments of society, but in particular, for children.
The workshop week will take place physically in Mellanrummet, where the daily progress of the participants work will be continually on display.
The workshop will also include a visit to a Stockholm recycling/ waste treatment center, in order to gain insight into what kind of economic and social value we place on our waste and how these values are culturally dependent and in rapid transformation. In addition to Arvind Gupta, we will invite other guest lecturers to discuss the topic.
About Arvind Gupta
After an accidental meeting with Arvind on the campus of Pune University we found his reputation was widespread. Described as everything from madman and genius, to acclaimed pedagogue and scientist, he investigates the role of experimentation and play in children’s education. His work has a conscious connection to the low consumption society, of which he is a part. Arvind Gupta is presently working at the Children’s Science Centre at IUCCA (Inter-University Centre for Astronomy & Astrophysics) / Pune, India. He has conducted workshops with children and teachers in more than 1500 schools and institutions – urban, rural and tribal – for more than 22 years. He has published numerous books and received recognition worldwide for his inventiveness within the fields of education, play and science. See arvindguptatoys.com
Length of the course: 1 day introduction + one week independent work without workshop leader + one week workshop with workshop leader
Course start: March 11 Architecture school (Mejan Arc), floor 3
Kungl Konsthögskolan/Royal Institute of Art www.kkh.se
Visiting address: Flaggmansvägen 1, Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, Sweden