Learning challenges in the teaching of urbanism in Spain, results after the Bologna Process

Abstract

This paper aims to address the challenges faced by the training in urban and territorial planning in the Spanish Schools of Architecture after the adjustment of the Bachelor of Architecture to the European Higher Education Area (Bologna Process). Architecture is a regulated profession; graduates have access to an enabling degree where professional competence acquires an internationalised global dimension today. But Architecture, compared to newly created degrees, drags centuries-old training baggage, which has been trying to adapt to the changes with the times. Thus, while Engineering -the ot her main degree of the branch of knowledge Engineering and Architecture- has chosen to specialise, unfold and multiply in a great diversity of university degrees, Spanish professional architectural associations decided to maintain a unique title. Urban planning is one of the specific competences of the architecture degree in Spain, but not in other European countries such as France. The research will start by analysing what has been the training trajectory in urban and territorial planning in Spain, since the creation of the first Chair of Urbanism at the School of Architecture of Madrid in 1918, until nowadays. In parallel, we will revise the new professional competences involved in the matter. The curriculum of 1932 introduces the subject Urbanology, replacing the matter Layout, Urbanisation and Sanitation of Cities of the Plan of 1914. It was the only subject related to the topic until 1957. This new plan proposed basic training of two urbanistic courses, together with an optional choice for a speciality itinerary in the fifth academic year: Urbanism Section. These successive revisions of the curriculum in 1964 and 1975 maintained and developed this speciality. From the restructuring of 90s (RD 4/1994) the teaching offer of the already numerous Schools of Architecture was diversified, through the offer of optional subjects. In addition to the two core subjects of city planning, and therefore shared in all the degrees, many centres continued to offer specific routes or itineraries concerning city and territory. The conclusions of this retrospective analysis will be confronted with the competences currently required in urban planning, through the revision of the present regulatory framework. We will consider the European guidelines and the specific competence content included in the White Paper on Architectural Education for the urban profile. In this sense, the revision of different Spanish Schools of Architecture will be approached, confronting them with educational references in urbanism of other European contexts. Among the expected results, we can point out that in opposition to the diversification experienced by other disciplines, the training in Architecture has maintained the generalist and integrative character despite the general content reduction that has led to the redefinition of the degree as a consequence of the Bologna Process. In this context, not only the competence deficit is evident compared to previous curriculums, but it is also difficult to guarantee that the architecture students' learning responds to the new professional demands at a time when urban and territorial planning is in redefinition. Ultimately, the communication aims to reflect on the past and present of the teaching of urbanism in Spain to reflect on the challenges that its training must address in the near future. Keywords: Curriculum, European Higher Education Area, Schools of Architecture, Urbanism and Territorial Planning.