Abstract:

In Europe, the degree of an architect is a necessary condition for architectural heritage professionals. In some countries, such as Spain, no further training is legally required. This fact does not happen in other European countries, where in addition to this, a specific specialisation is necessary to work in architectural heritage (e.g. the case of France).

It is paradoxical that, facing the increase of technology in the world of heritage preservation in Spain, with a good acknowledgement of the architecture professionals, the recent evolution of study plans for their academic qualification tends toward a generalisation of theoretical knowledge through the successive Bologna Process Plans.

Regarding the knowledge of History and Theory of Architecture, the transformation of study plans progresses towards a learning strategy that is focused in providing a background to project and architectural design rather than to acquire specific tools for each specialisation (as to give answers to architectures belonging to different times with various problems living together). Given this situation, we can admit that this training model turns generalised while the profession becomes specialised.

According to the European Directive of this regulated occupation (Directive 2013/55/ EU amending Directive 2005/36/EC, on the recognition of professional qualifications), among the eleven aspects necessary for training as an architect, the burden of knowledge of architectural history, theory and composition is relevant, since two of them explicitly refer to these disciplines (article 46, sections a and b). These subjects would suppose around a 20% of the total theoretic formative load of the architect.

Taking as representative precedents the study plans of the Higher Technical School of Architecture of Seville, the Plan 75, the Plan 98, as the Bologna Plan 2010, and the currently Plan 2012. This has a load of 24 compulsory ECTS credits belonging to the Department of History, Theory and Architectural Composition, for a total of 360 ECTS (comprising bachelor + master degrees), with a complement of 12 optional ECTS credits, for local targeted subjects such as Landscape, City and Architecture in Andalusia and Architecture of the Americas. Both subjects are developed in continuity to its corresponding formers from Plan 98. However currently, a 58% of this training load is practical, while the previous plan had only a 35% of hours focused on practical work, enhancing theoretical knowledge.

This situation justifies that in Spain, despite not being a mandatory condition, architects dedicated to the study and intervention in heritage often complement their training. The way is follow optional specialisation in postgraduate programmes that provide the necessary tools to develop professionally their work in this field according to multidisciplinary studies and needs.

In this paper, we will carry out a comparative, quantitative and qualitative analysis of the evolution of this training ECTS credits load in the successive study plans of the different Andalusian Architecture Schools, together with the main ones in the Spanish framework. For the same aspects, international references (European closer countries like France, Italy and Portugal) that also compose and complement the European scenario will be required.

Keywords:

Architecture, credits, heritage, history, profession, specialisation, training plan.