Detailed description (English): Our MOBILITYACTION was a unit of enquiry called 'Metropolis' that allowed students to gain an insight into the origin of the metropolis and into the contemporary field of urban planning. Research was conducted into the impact of the economic, health and climate crises on urban design and how cities from different parts of the world are responding. Attention was also paid to the added implications of the Covid-19 pandemic and how this is also influencing cutting-edge urban design. Scientific and mathematical concepts such as proportion, percentages and ratios were applied to the practical context of energy efficiency.
Students engaged actively with their local environment, artistically documenting walks and using modern technology to record the experience. Practical skills were also developed by studying the mechanism of bicycles, learning the highway code and being able to carry out simple bicycle repairs.
We also studied philosophical, artistic and literary concepts such as our interpretation and understanding of space, language and symbols and how these are key to our understanding of the metropolis. Role play was employed to explore the different and passionate opinions concerning urban planning, using this as a means of exploring conflict resolution and creating positive creating positive contemporary narratives.
Students then produced their own artistic vision and urban plan of different locations in Seville followed by a consultation with the public which we shared in the form of a video documentary now available on YouTube.
Target group(s): Secondary school students aged 11-12, their parents and members of the public we approached in the form of a consultation.
Objectives: To produce an in-depth study concerning the metropolis and the sustainability of urban design in the era of globalisation.
Key objectives were for students to understand the reasons why cities are undergoing significant changes in their design, and to stimulate students to come up with their own creative and practical responses to redesign areas within their own city (Seville).
The unit of enquiry was carried out with a range of different teachers from a broad variety of academic dsiciplines, with the express objective of promoting transdisciplinarity.