Redefining learning spaces in higher education

analysis of the Ilum School of Science

Authors

  • Wilson Barbosa Neto Unicamp
  • Maria Gabriela Caffarena Celani Unicamp

Keywords:

Learning spaces, Educational innovation, Technology, Architectural design

Abstract

This study examines the redefinition of learning spaces in higher education, focusing on the Ilum School of Science at CNPEM. In response to the demands of a labor market shaped by technological innovations and contemporary societal challenges, this study investigates how academic institutions are adapting their physical environments to meet emerging needs. Utilizing the Design Science Research (DSR) methodology, the article analyzes architectural and design modifications, emphasizing the integration of technologies and the flexibility required for interactive and engaging learning. A critical analysis of interviews with users of this space reveals that these transformations significantly enhance practical learning and student engagement, while also promoting creativity and collaboration, which are essential for academic and professional success in today’s world. The Ilum School of Science serves as an outstanding example of how educational environments can be effectively transformed. The study highlights the importance of adaptable educational spaces and offers practical guidelines for institutions seeking to renew their educational facilities to align more closely with the dynamics of contemporary society.

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Author Biography

Maria Gabriela Caffarena Celani, Unicamp

Gabriela Celani is an architect with a master's degree from FAU-USP and a PhD from MIT, where she was guided by William Mitchell and Terry Knight. Since 2004, she has been a researcher and professor in the Architecture and Urbanism course at Unicamp, where she established the Laboratory of Automation and Prototyping for Architecture and Construction (LAPAC), and where she is currently a full professor. She works in undergraduate and graduate programs, conducting research in the areas of digital fabrication, design process automation, form grammar, and algorithmic-parametric design, intersecting with Architecture and Urbanism. At Unicamp, she has served as an advisor to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and the Rector, and as Director of Projects at the Exploratory Museum of Sciences, and she currently coordinates the Physical-Spatial component of the International Hub for Sustainable Development (HIDS) project. She is the author of the book Creative CAD (Elsevier, 2003) and translated The logic of architecture and The poetics of gardens into Portuguese. She has been a visiting professor, with funding, at the National University of Litoral (Argentina), the Technical University of Lisbon, and MIT. She has coordinated projects funded by FAPESP, CAPES, FAEPEX, and CNPq, involving national and international universities such as Coimbra, Lisbon, Melbourne, Braunschweig, and Kaiserslautern. She is a member of the scientific committees of the conferences Design Computing and Cognition, SIGraDi, eCAADe, CAADRIA, ASCAAD, and CAAD Futures. She was vice-president of SIGraDi and is currently the vice-president of CAAD Futures. She has been an invited speaker at the following events: Digital fabrication: a state of art (Lisbon, 2011), SIGraDi 2012 (Fortaleza), Sustainable Intelligent Manufacturing (Lisbon, 2013), Digital D'Arq (Coimbra, 2015), and the SIGraDi/eCAADe 2019 conference (Porto). She organized the CAAD Futures 2015 (São Paulo) and BRAGFOST 2016 (Campinas) conferences. She received the Arturo Montagú (Sigradi, 2017) and Zeferino Vaz (Unicamp, 2018) awards for her academic career. (Source: Lattes Curriculum)

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Published

2025-05-21

How to Cite

BARBOSA NETO, Wilson; CAFFARENA CELANI, Maria Gabriela. Redefining learning spaces in higher education: analysis of the Ilum School of Science. Ambiente Construído, [S. l.], v. 25, 2025. Disponível em: https://seer.ufrgs.br/index.php/ambienteconstruido/article/view/140064. Acesso em: 9 aug. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 25 (2025): Edições Especiais & Artigos

Section

Artigos

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Ambiente Construído

Creative Commons License

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