Spaces for Action: A Repository of Tools and Methods for a Socially Situated Architectural Education - cover image

Copyright

Guido Cimadomo; Ingrid Vargas Díaz. Copyright of individual chapters are maintained by the chapter author(s).

Published On

2026-03-13

ISBN

Paperback978-1-80511-761-2
Hardback978-1-80511-762-9
PDF978-1-80511-763-6

Language

  • English

Print Length

278 pages (XXXII+278+nulla)

Dimensions

Paperback178 x 19 x 254 mm(7" x 0.75" x 10")
Hardback178 x 22 x 254 mm(7" x 0.87" x 10")

Weight

Paperback659g (23.25oz)
Hardback875g (30.86oz)

Media

Illustrations53

OCLC Number

1579583512

LCCN

2025432289

THEMA

  • AMC
  • JNM
  • JNS
  • AMCR
  • KJMD

BISAC

  • ARC013000
  • ARC004000
  • EDU003000
  • EDU051000
  • EDU029100
  • SOC026030

LCC

  • NA2000

Keywords

  • Architectural education
  • Experiential learning
  • Design pedagogy
  • Social engagement
  • Collaborative tools
  • Community-based design

Spaces for Action

A Repository of Tools and Methods for a Socially Situated Architectural Education

'Spaces for Action' provides a hands-on guide for teachers and students looking to make architectural learning more engaging, collaborative, and socially meaningful.

The book brings together over 80 creative tools that can be adapted to different classrooms, communities, and design challenges. The tools are grouped by teaching approaches—like cooperative teamwork, experiential learning, and transformative practices—and by the stages of the design process: identifying challenges, generating ideas, and putting them into action. Each entry gives a clear overview of what the tool is for, how it works, and what you need to make it happen. You’ll also find tips on group sizes, resources, and possible collaborators, making it easy to bring these methods straight into practice.

What makes this toolkit unique is its strong link between theory and real-world application. Alongside detailed instructions, you’ll discover case studies from projects such as Service-Learning and “Live Projects,” which connect design directly to community needs. Open and adaptable, this repository is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to foster creativity, collaboration, and social impact in architecture education.

Contents

  • Aitana Bravo Rabaneda
  • Alba Cortés Galán
  • María Carmona Calero
  • María García Castro
  • Guido Cimadomo
  • Ingrid C. Vargas-Díaz
  • Guido Cimadomo
  • Ingrid C. Vargas-Díaz
  • Guido Cimadomo
  • Ingrid C. Vargas-Díaz

Introduction

(pp. 1–4)
  • Guido Cimadomo
  • Ingrid C. Vargas-Díaz
  • Guido Cimadomo
  • Ingrid C. Vargas-Díaz

Ideation Stage

(pp. 99–183)
  • Guido Cimadomo
  • Ingrid C. Vargas-Díaz

Implementation Stage

(pp. 185–213)
  • Guido Cimadomo
  • Ingrid C. Vargas-Díaz
  • Aslıhan Şenel
  • Caroline Newton

Contributors

Guido Cimadomo

(editor)
Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Architecture at University of Malaga

Guido Cimadomo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Architecture (Architectural Composition area: history, theory, analysis, and architectural criticism) at the University of Málaga (Spain), where he has taught since 2010. He holds a degree in Architecture from the Politecnico di Milano (Italy, 1998) and a PhD with International Distinction from the University of Seville (Spain, 2014). His research focuses on urban transformation processes, with particular emphasis on participatory practices and the impact of large-scale events such as world expositions, and on the documentation and catalogation of cultural and industrial heritage.

Ingrid C. Vargas Díaz

(editor)
Postdoctoral Researcher in the European project Socially Situated Architectural Pedagogies (SArPe) at University of Malaga

Ingrid C. Vargas-Díaz is an architect and researcher. She obtained her DEA (2007), and PhD (2014) from the Universidad de Granada, Spain, having completed her doctoral studies under a university-funded fellowship. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the European project Socially Situated Architectural Pedagogies (SArPe) and has taught at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Málaga (2022–23). She has been a member of the Laboratorio de Urbanismo at the Universidad de Granada (RNM-357, 2011–2019) and the research group Procesos Urbanos en Hábitat at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia (2010–2016). She is currently affiliated with the Research Cluster on Territorial Synergies at the Universidad de Granada (RNM-034, 2019–2025). Her research focuses on informal settlements and inequality in Latin American cities, urban segregation in mature Mediterranean tourist destinations, housing policy, and architectural pedagogy. Her academic career includes research stays at the Universities of Caxias do Sul (Brazil), Montpellier (France), and La Gran Colombia (Colombia), as well as participation in international research projects on habitat, vulnerability, and urban democracy.