Architecture and the Built Environment as Tools for Learning

De-a Arhitectura Association, a Romanian cultural organization made up of architects and teachers, develops and promotes architecture and built environment education for children and young people, in order to raise awareness and provide knowledge about the values of architecture, design, and urban planning. Its educational programs take place in public schools and museums, and at architecture and design events throughout the country. Over the last decade, De-a Arhitectura has reached close to 35,000 children from public schools all over the country, and over 1,200 teachers and 900 volunteer architects were involved in its activities. This article describes how the De-a Arhitectura created their educational program in partnership with teachers and became one of the first interdisciplinary curriculums based on project learning and experiential activities used in Romanian schools.