PRAXXIS is a feminist teaching atelier and research collective in both BA3 and MArch pursuing pedagogy and research within, and through, feminist architectural theory and practice. We have asked the students to explore feminist strategies and tactics to move our discipline towards a fairer and more equal society. This year we have challenged the students to construct their own agenda and develop forms of practice whose aim is not just to inform the design of a building, but a tool to transform the social, political and economic conditions of a place.
At the beginning of the year the BA3 PRAXXIS students worked collaboratively with the MArch 1 PRAXXIS students in Old Trafford. They produced strategies for creating a new high street for local residents exploring the agenda of High Street as Host, where all forms of community exchange, other than commercial transactions, take place. In response to the strategies we have used feminist design approaches including feminist theories, dialogues, interruptions, interventions and participatory tools to enable our students to design intersectional housing on the high street whilst also exploring issues connected to being displaced, mental health, permaculture, homelessness and access to better nutrition.
PRAXXIS encourages robust and open discussions through our weekly Feminisms Conversations and we are interested in projects which are both personal and political. Our overall aim is to create places shared between people of all ages, abilities, attitudes and occupations.
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