De-a arhitectura inclusive
10-18 years
DURATION: 1 lesson/week for one school year
IMPLEMENTATION OPTIONS:
– one school year – 4th to 10th grade (special schools for students with intellectual disabilities) – elective course (Curriculum at the School’s Discretion / CDS)
– one school year for students with SEN (Special Educational Needs) integrated into mainstream education classes, where De-a Arhitectura programs are implemented
TEACHING METHOD: project learning, experiential learning
TYPE OF CURRICULUM: interdisciplinary and integrative (arts + sciences)
TEACHED BY: special education teacher/ teacher/ technology education/ arts teacher + volunteer architect (resource person)
PLACE: the classroom, on an expedition around the school or in the locality
ACTIVE: since 2026
Project funded through Swimathon Bucharest 2025, a campaign by the Bucharest Community Foundation
De-a arhitectura in my city is an educational program that puts students’ creativity at work, makes them more alert to what’s happening in their city, and helps them discover the fascinating world of architecture. The city/locality where they live is the reference teaching material. The program has a guide for architects and teachers, including course curriculum, student’s notebook, and visual teaching materials. The curriculum has been conceived on an experimental learning method, having the following structure: I OBSERV + I ANALYZE , I BUILD + I PRESENT.
The first part of the educational approach seeks to acquire information through the pupils’ direct experience: city expeditions, experiment, game and visual presentations, and the second is the practical application of the lessons learned, students working together on a joint project. Each school year will be completed at the optional discipline De-a arhitectura with an exhibition of students’ projects.
Within the program, children will develop their ability to observe, perceive and critically analyze the built environment of their locality. They will be stimulated by creativity and developed spatial sense and visual culture. They will also improve their collaboration, communication and teamwork skills. The program is also a good tool for stimulating civic sense.
In the teaching process, teachers are assisted by a volunteer architect who will coordinate the class project. The architect and the teacher will participate together at the Training Course for tutors from every beginning of the school year.
The optional curriculum “De-a arhitectura – Education for Architecture and Built Environment, Third and Fourth Grades” is approved by the Order of the Minister of National Education in 2014. Download here.
You can find the curriculum on the website of the Institute of Education Sciences of the Ministry of National Education.