In an era marked by climate crises, social inequalities, and rapid transformations, the role of architects is undergoing a fundamental shift. Rather than focusing solely on creating iconic buildings, today's architects are increasingly becoming facilitators of autonomy, learning, and replicable solutions within communities. This evolution reflects a broader understanding of contemporary culture, where architecture serves not merely as a container for cultural expression but as a cultural act itself—a means of building relationships, knowledge, and collective meaning.
The concept draws inspiration from Aristotle's proverb that "one swallow does not make a summer." Just as a single migratory bird cannot herald the change of seasons, an isolated architectural project, however exemplary, rarely transforms reality on its own. However, when a work teaches, inspires, and can be replicated, it becomes the harbinger of something greater. Projects that combine simple technologies, local materials, and participatory processes demonstrate how building can also be an act of learning, where structures and bricks shape places of mutual teaching.
This new approach is exemplified by projects that function as "schools of construction," demonstrating how the choice of local materials, adoption of participatory methods, and empowerment of communities have become essential strategies. These initiatives create architecture that is both meaningful and resilient, capable of sustaining life and culture in uncertain times. The Gando Primary School in Burkina Faso, designed by Diébédo Francis Kéré, serves as a classic example where classrooms were built with locally produced compressed earth blocks and community labor.
Beyond the physical result, Kéré's project left behind a functioning construction workshop, allowing nearby communities to replicate the model even in a context where building with earth was initially met with skepticism. Similarly, the CEM Kamanar Secondary School in Thionck Essyl, Senegal, designed by dawoffice/Foundawtion, was constructed with locally molded clay blocks arranged in modular vaults that ensure thermal comfort and low cost. The construction process became a training ground where masons and young residents learned and refined traditional building techniques.
Another compelling example is the Lanka Learning Center in Seeduwa, Sri Lanka, developed by FEACollective. Designed for an organization focused on early childhood education, the project utilized local materials such as bamboo, clay bricks, and reclaimed wood, and was built collaboratively by architects, residents, and volunteers. The experience served as a laboratory of mutual learning where the building's construction itself became an educational process that fostered technical autonomy and a sense of belonging within the community.
In certain contexts, architecture transcends the act of providing shelter and begins to articulate processes of encounter, cooperation, and formation, becoming a true engine of community transformation. The Rugerero Health Center in Rwanda, designed by ASA Studio and developed in partnership with the government and the NGO Rwanda Village Community Promoters, emerged from participatory workshops and extensive use of local materials such as adobe bricks and stone. This approach helped reduce costs and strengthen local autonomy while the construction site became a school of trades where residents received training in masonry, carpentry, and drainage techniques.
In Brazil, the work of USINA CTAH offers another powerful example of how participatory processes can foster a sense of belonging and collective empowerment. At the Mutirão União da Juta in São Paulo, families organized in a cooperative actively participated in every stage, from designing the housing blocks to executing the concrete and masonry structures. The result was not only a set of homes but a network of solidarity and technical training that reshaped the very way architecture is practiced.
In Peru, the Asociação Semillas para el Desarrollo Sostenible has developed projects that embody this philosophy with remarkable clarity. The Primary and Secondary School El Huabo and the Technology and Environment Laboratory Mencoriari were both built in remote Amazonian contexts through participatory workshops that combined vernacular knowledge with sustainable innovation. Using timber from managed forests, modular structures, and passive strategies for ventilation and light, these buildings serve dual purposes as learning environments for both students and local builders.
Today's architects are called upon to mediate between different actors, identify local material chains, train workers, and deliver solutions capable of enduring time and scarcity. Projects that function as "schools of construction" prove valuable because they spread knowledge, reduce external dependencies, and most importantly, leave a lasting legacy. They demonstrate that architecture can be a regenerative practice, capable of shaping not only spaces but people as well.
However, significant challenges remain in this approach. Engaging real communities requires time, mediation, and communication that goes beyond technical jargon. There are inevitable tensions between the "ideal" project and the local context, and replicating a method demands comprehensive documentation, standardization, and adaptation to local variables. Architects must find balance between being technical specialists and broad facilitators of knowledge, navigating the complexities of community engagement while maintaining professional expertise.
In this age of uncertainty, the architect is no longer merely the author of buildings but has evolved into a mediator of processes and a cultivator of shared practices. Instead of designing only structures, architects are increasingly designing ways of learning and sustaining communities. The most solid way to build may indeed be to cultivate collective knowledge—an architecture that teaches, adapts, and endures across generations and changing circumstances.
