Summer school 2017 – Program
We are proud and excited to announce the program of Critical Concrete’ second edition: Practice & Theory of Sustainable and Social Architecture. During the three week program, 42 participants will tackle hand in hand with senior architects, urbanists and makers three different spaces in Porto, embedded in the social context of the local neighborhood.

Within the frame of practical workshops and theoretical lectures, four practical mentors will guide the participants in groups of c.a. 10 students through the summer school.
Social impact through sutainable processes
Samuel Kalika (Critical Concrete founder), João Moura (Architect and Pseudo-Scientist) and Hugo Dourado (Colectivo Mel) will coordinate the refurbishment of a social housing configuration in Ramalde. The house is privately owned by its inhabitants – a family of two adults and three children – and lacks on basic facilities, air ventilation, storage space and insolation. This house was selected in coordination with the Junta de Freguesia de Ramalde and the ASAS de Ramalde. Between design and building process, students will face the reality of architecture and contribute to the improvement of the living conditions of the house inhabitants: three children and two women.


In parallel, Sebastião de Botton (Colectivo Warehouse) is guiding the research project on sustainable heating strategies and the realisation of a urban cat house installation in a social neighbourhood. Based in our production center Co-lateral (Francos), participants are going to investigate on compost water heating systems and experiment with the rocket stove technique. Last but not least, in cooperation with two local animal activists, participants will build an urban furniture in the shape of a cat shelter.
The late afternoon will be dedicated to theoretical lectures, which are open to the public. Through talks, discussions and presentations by experts in architecture and urbanism, it aims to give inspirational input and enrich the awareness of sustainable and social architecture. The three weeks are respectively thematically divided in: Architecture B, (non)-traditional ways of construction, Urbanism and Social Engagement, and Art and Temporary Architecture.
On the second and third Friday of the program, the students will present their work progress and reflexions. All processes are completely participatory, giving the students freedom to play with different solutions and network with like-minded people.
On saturday 26th of august, the summer school will reach its conclusion with a ceremony in which, under presence of the district municipality, the students hand over the keys to the inhabitants of the family site, before walking back to the production centre.
LECTURS AND EVENTS – open to the public
Time: 17:30 – 19:30 (except on the 8th of August at 9:00)
Where: Rua Direita de Francos 1024 (except the ending ceremony, 26th of August)
Week I Architecture B
08|08 | Critical Concrete’s tactics and processes – Samuel Kalika, Critical Concrete |
09|08 | Old-New: durability, temporality and transformation in architecture – Walter Unterrainer, Aahrus School of Architecture |
10|08 | Sustainable architecture – intentions vs. reality – Elizabeth Donovan, Aahrus School of Architecture |
11|08 | Integrative Architecture – Francisco Adão da Fonseca, Skrei |
Week II URBANISM AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT
14|08 | Heating to Humanure A – Lena Obergfell, Gardener, Artist |
15|08 | New Institutions for the New Times / Creating the Cultural Monster – Miodrag Kuč, urbanist |
17|08 | Landscapes of Energy – Marcela López, Contested Urban Waterscapes |
Heating to Humanure B – Lena Obergfell Gardener, Artist | |
18|08 | Students’ Project Presentations |
Week III ART AND TEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE
22|08 | Ressources in architecture – Antoine Aubinais, Bellastock |
Architectural Essays- Hugo Reis and Filipa Frois Almeida, Fahr 021.3 | |
24|08 | Performing the urban landscape– Miguel Costa, FBAUP |
How to make do? – Samuel Carvalho, ON/OFF | |
25|08 | Students’ Project Presentation |
SPECIAL EVENT
26|08 | 16:00 Ceremony in the Ramalde house, rua doutor Pedro de Sousa 547 |