Exploring experiential learning and community engagement for socio spatial justice: lessons from an international collaboration

Paper in proceeding, 2023

This paper discusses a collaboration, within postgraduate education, between two architectural design studios; the Urban Citizen Studio at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and the Reality Studio at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. The collaboration engages with the communities of Woodlane Village and Melusi informal settlements in Pretoria, through methods of community participation that require critical thinking within students that equip them with skills to deal with complex socio-spatial issues. The paper unpacks this collaboration, demonstrating the methodological approaches deployed within the studios and how they extend beyond the educational environment. 
In both studios, students build relationships with communities and prioritise community participation to comprehend locals' viewpoints and needs. Students combine site observations, sketching, needs analysis, and integration of existing datasets under the direction of local NGOs and research partners to develop a spatial and social understanding of the settlements. The fieldwork follows the ukuDoba method to interact with communities and to record and analyse the spatial and social conditions of the communities. Transferable abilities like critical analysis, design thinking, and stakeholder communication are encouraged by both studios, where students develop a deeper grasp of issues in the real world by concentrating on socio-spatial justice and community engagement. 
The collaboration between these studios has enabled students to successfully negotiate new situations, navigate complex social issues, and combine knowledge from multiple academic fields to contribute to the sustainable development of the informal settlement communities. These learnings have been further enriched through international collaboration, not only improving students' educational experiences but also encouraging intercultural and cross-cultural cooperation and knowledge exchange on a global scale.