Master in Ephemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces

How can we rethink architecture and spatial design at a time when temporary is the new permanent? You will undertake design and research projects for temporary spaces, exploring an emergent and evolving field that covers a broad range of design formats: design for city making and social innovation, art and exhibition, events and pop-ups, and emergency and activism.

How to apply

Presentation

How can we rethink architecture and spatial design at a time when temporary is the new permanent? In the Master in Ephemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces, you will undertake ambitious design and research projects for temporary spaces, exploring an increasingly relevant field that covers a broad range of design formats, topics of interest and fields of action.

The master examines the evolving world of temporary space design through four main areas of interest: design for city making and social innovation, art and exhibition, events and pop-ups, and emergency and activism.

The Master in Ephemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces integrates consolidated and emergent formats of temporary space design, proposing an innovative field of research and practice with the aim of providing conceptual and instrumental tools and addressing all phases of design, from conceptualisation to detail design and specific problem-solving.

It connects academic training (research) with practical work (design and construction) to develop and carry out real projects with direct societal impact.

Access and Admission Requirements: Students must have an official university degree or equivalent. Knowledge of CAD, 3D modelling, graphic design software, draughtsmanship and physical modelling is highly recommended. It is also recommended to have additional skills pertaining to design (e.g., audiovisual, interaction, graphics, technology). We encourage unique individuals to share their interests and skills to further the exploratory dimension of the programme (e.g., music, performance, communication, artistic practices, sociopolitical engagement).

At Elisava you can take master and postgraduate courses of different degrees of specialisation that combine theoretical knowledge, reflection, experimentation, and practical projects. Find the design master you are looking for.

Study ephemeral architecture in Barcelona

If you want to study ephemeral architecture in Barcelona in English, Elisava is among the best design and architecture universities in Europe. Our school is located in the heart of the city, in one of the most emblematic areas, an ideal environment for creativity and learning.

This Master’s programme establishes a firm connection between academic training (research) and praxis (construction), with the goal of broadening students’ understanding, developing their specialization, situating them in the growing labour market of temporary space design, and expanding their career beyond disciplinary silos.
Máster en Arquitectura Efímera y Espacios Temporales Proposal for the first edition of MODEL. Barcelona Architecture Festival
Máster en Arquitectura Efímera y Espacios Temporales
Máster en Arquitectura Efímera y Espacios Temporales
Máster en Arquitectura Efímera y Espacios Temporales
Máster en Arquitectura Efímera y Espacios Temporales

Objectives

  • Learning about the field of temporary space design.
  • Increasing your capacity for creativity, strategic thinking and research in spatial design.
  • Creating innovative design proposals and developing material solutions for temporary space designs.
  • Working collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams and learning to negotiate with other stakeholders during the design process.
  • Collaborating with public and private entities to propose, develop and build innovative projects with a real and direct societal impact.
  • Obtaining practical training through the real construction of design proposals.
  • Acquiring research and innovation skills through participation in research projects with the Design for City Making Research Lab.
  • Gaining the possibility of access, after the master, to PhD track and doctoral research programmes.
  • Working with a faculty team of devoted and prestigious professionals in different areas of knowledge, both academically and professionally.
master-arquitectura-efímera-espacios-temporales-07 Assembling of El Pati de Can Guineu, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia
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Highlights

MA in Ephemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces prgramme

1 Thematic and methodological foundations

This module contains the theoretical core and the reference framework for the Master in Ephemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces. It is composed of an introductory unit, specialised seminars and guest lectures.

1.1 Introduction to the theory and practice of temporary space design
Introductory lectures and student participation activities to explicitly identify the core themes and methods that will frame the whole year. Overview of the theoretical foundations and practical knowledge necessary for the course and in-depth analysis of prior the masters’ work. Detailed course presentation, including a comprehensive account of the year’s modules, projects and partners. Introduction to the course directors and core professors. Welcome activities.

1.2 Operative Mapping seminar
Theory seminar on the uses of maps as design tools. Multiple practical examples will be analysed and discussed. The lessons learned will subsequently be applied to a practice-based unit.

1.3 Architecture of the action seminar
Theory seminar on performative modes of intervention that expand the realm of architecture to artistic and activist practices. The lessons learned will subsequently be applied to a practice-based unit.

1.4 Guest lectures
Unique lectures by guests of Elisava or the master presenting conceptual approaches and specific practices from an expanded design field that may establish relevant relations to ephemeral architecture and temporary space design.

 2 Design for city making and social innovation

This module explores temporary space design’s capabilities in devising both human and more-than-human habitats, and probes into its social innovation potential in both urban and non-urban environments.

2.1 Speculative and exploratory practices
Research through design formats that address timely and relevant topics on habitats to foster a progressive, critical and innovative agenda.

2.2 Situated and collaborative design practices
Design projects developed in collaboration with on-site communities, with a strong focus on specificity and situatedness. Concrete proposals with direct impact on real environments, tackling spatial, temporal and relational dimensions of lived habitats.

 3 Art and exhibition

This module investigates the narrative and speculative power of temporary space design, delving into art and exhibition formats.

3.1 Material affects and effects
Installation/exhibition projects with a fundamental material focus. Exploration of non-hierarchical relations with materials, fostering attitudes of deep listening and care. Art-based practices to rethink our material culture beyond binaries such as natural-artificial, human-nonhuman or live-inert.

3.2 Curatorship and exhibition design
Exhibition design projects including both curatorship discourses and exhibition design development. The main focus is making spaces talk, using spatiotemporal narratives both through the design of decision-making tools and material implementation strategies.

 4 Events and pop-ups

This module harnesses the impact of temporary space design and its civic engagement capacities through design-built projects in public and collective spaces.

4.1 Designing with light
Design-built projects exploring the potential of light to temporarily transform space. Using light as a material to build ephemeral spaces and relational places. The Master in Epehemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces, in collaboration with the Bachelor’s programme, has represented Elisava in the LlumBCN festival since 2017.

4.2 Design-built structures
Projects addressing, in a practical and hands-on way, the conceptual, technical and logistical challenges of design-built temporary structures such as pop-ups, pavilions or temporary interventions in public space.

 5 Emergency and activism

This module delves into the ethical and political implications of design, using temporary space design to address pressing emergencies and test innovative forms of activism.

5.1 Humanitarian emergency
Practical or investigative projects that tackle humanitarian emergencies, placing time and temporality at the core. Collaborating with partners in the field, the projects attempt to generate a positive impact in visualising, denouncing and hopefully alleviating difficult and often unjust situations generated by forced displacement.

5.2 Activism and politics
Projects that address, in a particularly deliberate way, the political and ethical aspects of ephemeral architecture and temporary space design. Focusing on timely, contested, and potentially divisive topics, the projects work towards furthering critical, progressive, and transformative design actions.

 6 Portfolio and Grad Show

This module contains individual and collective efforts directed towards presenting and communicating student work.

6.1 Portfolio
Individual tutorials to help students build their Master’s portfolio, both through personal channels and this platform.

6.2 Grad Show
Participation in the end of year exhibition of Master’s programmes, showcasing the most relevant work produced during the year.
If you want to know more about the Master in Ephemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces download the brochure here or check the master’s website:
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Do you want to know more about the Masters’ School?

Each academic year, students with very diverse professional and cultural profiles of more than 80 nationalities from all over the world attend their master’s or postgraduate training at Elisava. We want to promote connections and networks among students beyond the context of each master’s degree to promote the exchange of knowledge through very diverse projects: we organize interdisciplinary workshops and conferences; transdisciplinary projects with students from several master’s degrees; collaborations with companies, institutions and NGOs…

Interdisciplinary workshops Collaborations with companies, institutions and NGOs Elisava Masters’ Talks and lectures Elisava Alumni

Masters’ Scholarships

Do you want to study the MA in Ephemeral Architecture and Temporary Spaces at Elisava? In this section you will be able to check all the information on the annual call for scholarships, which recognize, reward and disseminate the talent and excellence of future master’s students.

Elisava Masters’ Scholarships