Topic outline: para 2.1
Bucky gave a talk in 1960, entitled Prime Design, in which he referred briefly to “the world educational (system)” [5], and another in 1962, issued as Education Automation, which he devoted to the new educational system [6]. Since then few architects have involved themselves in Bucky’s recommendation. CP, of course, has been the notable exception. The Potteries Thinkbelt [7], in particular, represents a radical alternative to the traditional university, followed by his proposals for educational facilities at Atom [8], Detroit [9], and Birmingham [10], for example. It is therefore worth noting what Gordon Pask had to say in 1969 [11]:
“A University need not be conceived as a set of buildings around a courtyard with living accommodation and lecture theatre. The educational system might, in certain circumstances, be spatially distributed rather than localized. In any case, architects are positively encouraged to anticipate trends such as the development of educational technology and to provide for their impact upon whatever structure is erected. By token of this the architect quite often comes into the picture at the time when a higher educational system is being contemplated, without commitment to whether or not it is called a university.”
The Edukit project - ie world educational system - is an early entry project of this type [12] and a new design for new learning for the “one-town world” Bucky anticipated half a century ago [13].
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:27 am
The Medikit project - ie worldwide medical system - by Anthony Dugdale, Bill Busman and Dolan Conway [14] was an early entry project of this type in the field of health. Tony was a student of CP’s and there is no question that Medikit is an interpretation of some of CP’s work. Thus Edukit is in some ways a re-interpretation.