Bauhaus to Ninja
Assassinating Seriousness in Architectural
Education
Brady Burroughs
Humor has
long been used as a critical tool by architectural critics, but can taking
ourselves a little less seriously help transform us into
pedagogical ninjas? This talk looks at pedagogical practices that use humor to
question the power of seriousness (what is valued) in architectural education. Beginning
with a “flop”, we’ll look at some examples from pedagogical situations, where
we challenge serious architectural values through practices such as
staging critical conversations, shifting positions/changing genres, and
relating critical theory to everyday situations to make it more accessible. Wear your most comfortable and
colourful zoom-outfit, and bring your
sense of humor. If you’ve misplaced yours, feel free to borrow one!
Brady Burroughs (1970) is an
architectural educator and writer, interested in questions of positioning and
power, experimental pedagogical practices, and making critical ideas accessible
beyond academic circles. Co-author/Editor of Ahmed for Architecture Students
(2019) and author of Architectural Flirtations: A Love Storey (2016), Brady works as Head of Second
Year at KTH School of Architecture in Stockholm, where she holds a PhD in
Critical Studies of Architecture.