Pedagogical Scaffolds and Material Tectonics: A Strategic Framework for Enhancing the B.Arch. Curriculum

Abstract

This paper proposes a pedagogical model for the existing 5-year B.Arch. programs that prepares students to navigate tensions between Global South material realities (bricks, bamboo, cement) and high-tech advancements (robotics, AI, IoT). Through a critical analysis of curriculum gaps at selected universities, we identify how conventional pedagogies fail to train students as "material diplomats", designers fluent in both vernacular tectonics and computational intelligence. We present a five-year scaffolded curriculum integrating maker-labs, decolonial tech modules, and industry partnerships. This model shows how students can transform challenges (e.g., unreliable grids, scarce robotics) into opportunities for innovation (e.g., Arduino-enabled bamboo sensors, optimized brick reuse systems). The paper argues that architectural education must prioritize contextual technacy over technological mimicry to foster graduates who ethically negotiate high-tech disruptions while advancing self-healing, community-centered architectures.

Keywords: Architectural Pedagogy, Architectural Bachelors, Analogue Computation, Vernacular Materials, Contextual Technacy, Digital Ethics in Technology