Beyond Functionalist Paradigms: Proprioceptive Exploration and Ductile Practice in Architectural Pedagogy

Contemporary architectural education exhibits disconnection between theory and practice, manifesting in hypertheorized exercises and uncritical professional practices. This research presents an integrative pedagogical methodology transcending the dichotomy between "simulators" and "devices". The approach enables spatial exploration through event-based spatiality rather than predetermined functional programs. The proposal articulates a "ductile practice" addressing reality's complexity without abandoning theoretical principles. Practice becomes pragmatic exploration where the architectural project functions as a transformative agent. The methodology employs modular polystyrene elements to construct five spatial cells at 1:1 scale, applying principles of material and functional neutrality. Material neutrality suppresses conventional materiality to emphasize essential spatial qualities. Functional neutrality eliminates standardized programs, enhancing synchronic interactions between inhabitant and space. Students explored these conditions through anthroposensorial and proprioceptive experiences, focusing on privacy levels, relational nature, and kinetic conditions. Assessment employed established rubrics evaluating spatial characterization, strategy coherence, and constructive execution through photographic documentation and structured group feedback sessions. Results demonstrate that immersive construction enables synchronous theoretical-practical evaluation without prerequisite technical drawing. Students developed critical spatial thinking through direct experience, subsequently establishing theoretical connections through reverse engineering. This analog-immersive approach prepares students to formulate innovative architectural solutions questioning pre-established conventions while maintaining disciplinary rigor.