Outside the classroom: the participatory design workshop on Healthy City, Mixco, Guatemala

Abstract

[EN] The paper describes an innovative teaching experience held at the Faculty of Architecture the University of San Carlos of Guatemala as part of the Professional Practice Program (EPS). 20 students and 9 professors, coordinated by 4 professors, carried out a workshop on the theme of Healthy City (HC) in the Municipality of Mixco, with the support of the same. Through active learning, a ‘deprivatization’ of the teaching activity and a participatory confrontation activity through interviews and questionnaires with citizens and stakeholders, the students and professors worked in 4 groups for seven days creating a community of practice. The results took the form of project proposals aimed at urban regeneration, in accordance with the principles of the HC, presented to the local community and to the Municipality of Mixco. The experience can be repeated in its methodology and has been positively evaluated by all the participants in terms of: acquisition of competences for dialogue with citizens and stakeholders for the identification of needs, increase in design skills and group work, as well as real service in the territory. The future urban planners and architects have also played a new role as mediators of participatory processes and facilitators.