Interdisciplinary Incursions: Conceptual Maps as a Methodological Tool in Architecture and Urbanism

Abstract

The article presents possibilities of implicit interdisciplinary incursions to academic research in architecture and urbanism. The immersion in the contributions of the various disciplines of the Social Sciences is nowadays an unprecedented necessity, since the complexity of the contemporary world and the transformations of culture in everyday spaces - including the prominence of aesthetics, body and images - call for conceptual redefinitions and interpretative creativity. Architecture and Urbanism academic research involves a wide thematic scope that presupposes spatial cutout and objects that, by their materiality, challenge the development of complex choices. If this research area can be thought from Pierre Bourdieu’s perspective, as a field of cultural production, in which it is presupposed the existence of agents and institutions surrounded by speeches, controversies and distinct interests. Then, it is a vital pedagogical work to make the student/researcher able to limit his research and, at the same time, develop independent reflexive habits. In this perspective, conceptual maps (CMs), as graphic organizers of knowledge representation, act as information retrievers and retainers in the learning process according Vekiri and are important tools for the scientific research. Hence, through them, it is possible to operationalize concepts, identify theoretical positions of strategic authors on topics of interest and to structure focus and arguments of the researcher. This article aims to broaden the discussion about the possibilities of using such tool and brings thoughts on the results of the conceptual maps workshop experience developed on the Graduate Program in Architecture and Urbanism at Mackenzie Presbyterian University in São Paulo, 2015.