An Integration of teaching, research, and extension through the experimental construction site in the Architecture and Urbanism program

Abstract

This paper investigates how the experimental construction site (canteiro experimental) can integrate teaching and research for sustainable practices in Architecture and Urbanism. The study seeks to overcome the traditional separation between theory and practice in construction technology education, based on the teaching internship experience at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of UFRJ. The methodology was based on participant observation and reports from graduate students who served as tutors. Presentations of the tutors’ master's and doctoral research on topics such as the environmental impact of materials, energy efficiency, and acoustic comfort aimed to enrich both the theoretical framework. By the end of the semester, undergraduate students were challenged to incorporate sustainability concepts into their projects and were able to understand how decision-making for this purpose can occur in different stages of the construction process, while the tutors strengthened their research and teaching practices. The study concludes that the experimental construction site serves as a powerful pedagogical tool for a critical and sustainability-oriented education, promoting interdisciplinarity and the principles of university extension.