Are you ready for a challenge?

Palace of Un/Learning questions the unquestioned in the field of architecture. In times of multiple crises and uncertainty, it sets the challenge to unlearn the status quo in order to rethink the discipline, teaching methods and practice of architecture: How and what do we learn in architecture? Which architecture knowledge is part of the canon we rely on and what remains invisible? How can we design, plan and build without exploiting the environment and labour? So, what is good? Who are “we”? And how can we do less harm with architecture?

Palace of Un/Learning is a project by Bernadette Krejs and Max Utech which creates an open space of exploring, inventing, negotiating and sharing counter-hegemonic design strategies. The Palace aims for more accessible, transformable, affordable, empowering and resource-efficient un/built structures for a maximally diverse urban society. As a visible expression of alternative dissident practices, the Palace creates temporary activist moments… of which the IAF Summer School is one!

Introductory presentation, Friday 12 May, 18:30-20.00

Through LINA, Palace of Un/Learning is also working with Archfondas in Vilnius, the Oslo Architecture Triennale, Design Academy Eindhoven, Galerie VIPER in collaboration with UMPRUM in Prague, and the Fundaciò Mies van der Rohe in collaboration with the MODEL festival in Barcelona. 

On Friday evening, Bernadette Krejs and Max Utech will present the aims and three previous Palace of Un/Learning interventions, to get you (re)thinking…

Register for Friday.

Un/Learning Workshop, Saturday 13 May, 10:00-17:00

On Saturday, you are invited to co-develop an informal collective public counter-learning space where experiences and knowledge about spatial practice in architecture and city-making can be shared. Together we will build a piece of furniture to collect, share and embody knowledge – amongst participants and with a wider public. It will be a collective space to experiment, provoke, negotiate and claim missing words and spaces, helping us to unlearn the status quo in order to rethink how we want to design, learn and think architecture for a more diverse, queer, feminist and post-colonial future.

Register for Saturday.

Important booking information:

IAF Summer School 2023 is open to all, including professionals, academics, graduates and students. It will be of particular relevance to architects, artists, activists, creatives, cultural practitioners, community workers, urbanists, geographers, film-makers and anyone with an interest in architecture, sustainability, design and the built environment. CPD points are available for participating architects.

The Summer School is free to attend, but booking is required.

Please note that Friday’s introduction and Saturday’s workshop are interdependent. Out of courtesy for the presenters, we ask that you register for both days and attend on both days.

The events with Palace of Un/Learning take place in the IAF headquarters, 15 Bachelor’s Walk, Dublin 1.

This is the final instalment of the IAF Summer School 2023. The Summer School opens on 5-6 May with Space Saloon + The MAAK (in person at the IAF headquarters) and continues on 9 May with zwkr (online).

It is possible to book for one, two, or all three parts of the Summer School. Places are limited, so please register only if you plan to attend.

Read the full announcement for an overview of the IAF Summer School 2023 programme.

The IAF Summer School 2023 is brought to you in collaboration with LINA.

This is the first of three years in which the IAF Summer School forms part of the LINA programme, an exciting new collaboration between architecture organisations in 23 European countries and 25 competitively selected LINA Fellows. LINA’s goal is to help steer the architectural sector towards clean and circular practices through Learning, Interacting and Networking in Architecture and supporting emerging professionals with innovative and forward-looking projects.

LINA is coordinated by the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia and co-funded by the Creative Europe initiative of the European Union.

The IAF Summer School 2023: CONNECTION and the LINA Writing Award – a partnership between the IAF and dpr barcelona – comprise the IAF’s contributions to this year’s LINA programme.

Photo courtesy of Max Utech.