Bridging Theory and Practice: A Comparative Study of Pedagogical Models in Architectural Education
This research explores how architectural education can be made more practical and relevant to real - world challenges, by identifying strategies that can equip future architects with the skills needed to address pressing social, economic, technological, and environmental issues. It argues that architectural pedagogy should move beyond the idealized, theoretical environment of the studio and engage with the real world and its stakeholders from an early stage in the educational process. The paper examines the introduction and implementation of various practical education models across seven architecture schools within a research pro ject consortium, including higher education institutions in Italy, Norway, Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The res earch focuses on how practical education is defined in different cultural contexts and what insights can be gained from diverse approaches — varying in scale, complexity, professional engagement, and time spent outside the studio. Using a comparative methodology that includes workshops, site observations, surveys, and interviews, the paper analyses the outcomes of these edu cational practices. The research also presents a "Practice Typology Matrix" as a framework for assessing various models of practice involvement in architectural education, highlighting the most effective approaches for different contexts. Through this analy sis, the paper identifies best practices and strategies for integrating real - world experience into architectural training .