The School as a Critical Project: Teaching for troubled times

Cameron McEwan

The School as a Critical Project: Teaching for troubled times

Cameron McEwan^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Architecture and Built Environment

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

This paper examines the hybrid practitioner and critical practice as models for architectural education. I draw on McKenzie Wark’s idea for a «common task» and situate with Paolo Virno’s analysis of the «hybridisation» of intellectual, leisure, and working life. I revisit the hybrid critical practice of Diana Agrest and Mario Gandelsonas as a counter genealogy for a critique of the nature/urban continuum, read alongside Félix Guattari’s Three Ecologies. I develop five operative concepts under the heading’s context in troubled times, city-region-planet, thinking-through-making, design studio, and typology, arguing these concepts frame the school as a critical project.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	98-115
Journal	stoà. Tools for Architectural Design Pedagogies
Issue number	16
Publication status	Published - 19 Jul 2026

Keywords

Hybrid practitioner
Critical practice
Architectural education
Common task
McKenzie Wark
Hybridisation
Paolo Virno
Agrest and Gandelsonas
Diana Agrest
Mario Gandelsonas
Nature/urban continuum
Three Ecologies
Felix Guattari
Thinking-through-making
Design studio pedagogy
Anthropocene
Capitalocene

Access to Document

260427 McEwan STOA 16 Revised Submission AAMAccepted author manuscript, 2.25 MBLicence: CC BY

https://stoajournal.com/Issue-16

5 Article

The periphery as a critical project: towards an architectural pedagogy for the Anthropocene
McEwan, C., 18 Mar 2026, In: Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research. 20, 2, p. 442-462 21 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
5 Citations (Scopus)

76 Downloads (Pure)
Architectural Pedagogy for the Anthropocene: Theory, Critique, Typological Urbanism
McEwan, C., 11 Oct 2023, In: Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research. 17, 3, p. 478-495 18 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
8 Citations (Scopus)

194 Downloads (Pure)
Architectural Theory, Multitude, and the Anthropocene
McEwan, C., 30 Sept 2022, In: Dialectic: Journal of the School of Architecture at the University of Utah. 10, p. 25-36
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File

1 Organising a conference, workshop, ...
1 Editorial work
1 Invited talk

Urban Periphery: TRANSECT I
McEwan, C. (Organiser) & Martinez Capdevila, P. (Organiser)
6 Jul 2026 → 10 Jul 2026
Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Organising a conference, workshop, ...

File
Journal of Architecture (Journal)
McEwan, C. (Editor) & Lechner, A. (Editor)
2026
Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Editorial work
Learning from the Periphery: Towards a Critical Practice for the Anthropocene
McEwan, C. (Speaker)
27 Nov 2025
Activity: Talk or presentation › Invited talk

Northumbria University Teaching Enhancement Award, 2025-28.
McEwan, C. (Recipient) & Martinez Capdevila, P. (Recipient), 2026
Prize: Other distinction

Cite this

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title = "The School as a Critical Project: Teaching for troubled times",

abstract = "This paper examines the hybrid practitioner and critical practice as models for architectural education. I draw on McKenzie Wark{\textquoteright}s idea for a «common task» and situate with Paolo Virno{\textquoteright}s analysis of the «hybridisation» of intellectual, leisure, and working life. I revisit the hybrid critical practice of Diana Agrest and Mario Gandelsonas as a counter genealogy for a critique of the nature/urban continuum, read alongside F{\'e}lix Guattari{\textquoteright}s Three Ecologies. I develop five operative concepts under the heading{\textquoteright}s context in troubled times, city-region-planet, thinking-through-making, design studio, and typology, arguing these concepts frame the school as a critical project.",

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AB - This paper examines the hybrid practitioner and critical practice as models for architectural education. I draw on McKenzie Wark’s idea for a «common task» and situate with Paolo Virno’s analysis of the «hybridisation» of intellectual, leisure, and working life. I revisit the hybrid critical practice of Diana Agrest and Mario Gandelsonas as a counter genealogy for a critique of the nature/urban continuum, read alongside Félix Guattari’s Three Ecologies. I develop five operative concepts under the heading’s context in troubled times, city-region-planet, thinking-through-making, design studio, and typology, arguing these concepts frame the school as a critical project.

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KW - Architectural education

KW - Common task

KW - McKenzie Wark

KW - Hybridisation

KW - Paolo Virno

KW - Agrest and Gandelsonas

KW - Diana Agrest

KW - Mario Gandelsonas

KW - Nature/urban continuum

KW - Three Ecologies

KW - Felix Guattari

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KW - Capitalocene

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The School as a Critical Project: Teaching for troubled times

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

The periphery as a critical project: towards an architectural pedagogy for the Anthropocene

Architectural Pedagogy for the Anthropocene: Theory, Critique, Typological Urbanism

Architectural Theory, Multitude, and the Anthropocene

Activities

Urban Periphery: TRANSECT I

Journal of Architecture (Journal)

Learning from the Periphery: Towards a Critical Practice for the Anthropocene

Prizes

Northumbria University Teaching Enhancement Award, 2025-28.

Cite this