Dearq

Dearq | eISSN 2215-969X

Somatic Embodiment in Architectural Education and Practice: Workshop Curriculum, Report, and Learner Responses

No. 44 (2026-01-30)
  • Galen Cranz
    Universidad de California, Berkeley, EE. UU.
  • Veronika Mayerboeck
    ALLES oder Licht: Design.Education.Research, Austria
  • Carina Rose
  • Sarah Robinson
    Università Iuav di Venezia, Italia
https://doi.org/10.18389/dearq44.2026.05

Abstract

This paper argues for the importance of somatic embodiment in architecture and presents a workshop protocol employed at the 2024 summer school Moving Boundaries: Architecture and the Human Sciences in Stockholm. The workshop introduced somatic practices for architects and designers, and we share the protocol as a resource for educators and practitioners. Positive participant feedback highlights the value of teaching somatic methods in design, supporting the need for further research on integrating body awareness, movement, and well-being into architectural pedagogy and practices.

Keywords: Somatic practices, embodied design, architectural pedagogy, movement and space, experiential learning, workshop protocol, kinesthetic engagement

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