Abstract

Often considered informal training, the workshop is a fundamental and complementary instrument for completing the students’ learning process. This idea is supported by the literature reflecting that students from architecture and other design disciplines should learn by doing. Therefore it should be used as a compelling architectural pedagogy tool. Construction design workshops allow participants to acquire competencies outside the classroom and some necessary and fundamental capabilities for the practice regarding materiality, technology, construction process, and collaborative skills. The student becomes an active learner determined by experimenting and working collaboratively. The article analyses the outcomes regarding two design workshops organized in a Chinese university context, addressing the main characteristics of a design workshop linked to organization and participants.