The real-life assignment of building with and for the community motivates many Building Beyond Borders participants to go above and beyond. For a deeper insight into the challenges and the incredible opportunities this journey offers, we encourage you to explore the reflections of past participants below.

'The architecture world, but also the world in general needs to rethink the trajectory of development and move towards more sustainable ways of living, rooted in the responsible use of resources, community engagement, and equality. In that sense, this edition was a success. I am very proud of the project we built and the connections we made. '

'In the last years, more educational institutions have realized the need for this kind of program focusing on bio-based, geo-based, and reclaimed materials. This proves that the topic is recognized globally and there is a need to examine it further. While this opens up doors for new collaborations it also creates competition for the attention of the students who are interested in following this path. BBB’s advantage is that it is one of the rare programs where there is a real built project at the end of the course, while other programs focus more on developing skills and knowledge and producing research in the form of booklets, prototypes, or speculative design projects. Furthermore, the built project is not a temporary solution, an artistic gesture, or an experiment. It is a complex architectural project that is embedded in real, existing communities and becomes a part of their lives, creating networks, and new connections, and spreading knowledge and awareness about building differently. 

My first observation is that this should be highlighted even more but also the learning that goes along with it. As a young architect, you are given a lot of autonomy in this program. You get to take charge and responsibility and fully engage in all aspects of the project. You get to participate in it from the start until the end and be there to learn from the process. You are given a free hand to do your “dream project” with the approach that you believe in, with an already secured budget, and with clients that you want to collaborate with. This whole process is especially ideal for young professionals that are considering to start working on their own projects. BBB program can give them the confidence and the skills needed to start their journey. Ideally, the participants are willing to form a strong team that can deliver an exceptional project. '

'My role in the project initially was the administrator of the group, a mundane but necessary job. Later on, I took a role as a budget holder, part of the design team, festival planner, and “emotional barometer”. Even though it was not officially my role, I was also doing photography. 

In general, because of my roles but also because of my genuine passion and interest, I had an overview of most of the things that were happening during the second semester. This was a very time-consuming task and I have to say that in the beginning, I did not intend to commit to the program to this extent ... My initial understanding of the schedule was that there would be time to work part-time but as the year progressed, I felt there was no space for me to pull back... This can also be seen as a privilege to take one year without income and be able to immerse oneself entirely into the program. People who were engaged more had also the opportunity to experience and learn more.'

'Things to highlight about the postgraduate program:

the collaborative aspect: this is a team effort, not a journey to take on your own. As people are becoming more individualistic, this programme is for the ones who believe in collaboration and are ready to put their egos aside and work towards a common goal.

the participative aspect: this for the ones who are eager to meet the community, be respectful, curious, sensitive, and engage in a meaningful way.

the time frame ... it is a rewarding but also demanding programme, participants need to organize their finances and time; very important for making decisions and later for the level of commitment. This year we spent twice as much time as expected on the construction site, not to mention days spent on the laptop, on the phone, researching, planning, communicating… to get to the level of detail and refinement that we had in mind, and out of respect for the community! 

As a participant it is important to be ready for this kind of experience and consciously choose it.'

'It might seem banal but the success of the project depends on how strong is the team. And since people in the group have not chosen each other they need to get on the same page or at least to some kind of understanding. 

Things that are important to discuss:

Strengths, experiences, and interests - This will help make better choices in how the responsibilities are distributed. It is also important to have respect for each other and trust in others' competence. 

Values - What does sustainability mean? How do we see the participative process? These discussions are also part of the learning. 

The flow of work - How do participants want to work? Intense for a few months or stretched over many months? Fast and efficient or slow and contemplative? Even though one might not agree on one mode, it is at least good to know where everyone stands. And the planning could be adjusted to this by possibly having multiple flows going at different speeds. 

Expected outcomes - What quality do we expect from the project? Should it be durable or is it temporary? It can get problematic if one person is expecting a high-quality, long-lasting product and another one is more inclined to a temporary, artistic gesture. This can also be predefined and does not have to be a point of discussion.'

'To do a good project, you need a strong team and coordinators that are supportive, optimistic, and brave. This is also my biggest learning from this program. How to work in a team on a complex project that requires planning and management on multiple levels, but most of all trust. Trust in one's own abilities and strength. Trust in other people. Trust that is formed with community. Trust in the process. Trust that we will find solutions even if things get tough. Trust that it is possible. '

'The building site management, was a great experience to improve organization skills. It was crucial to always keep the next step ready for the team to maintain momentum and optimize the different time capacities. Also working with reused material was quite challenging but very interesting. We had to combine the need of structure & plan for the good working team / building site, with the very spontaneity character of working with reused materials, where you never know really when you will find the right material and in which quantity. Probably separating the design phase from the phase of sourcing materials and organizing the construction site was a mistake. In the end, we followed the standard way of designing first, planning second and then building. The design process should have been adapted to the use of second-hand materials, which requires more flexibility and go and back.'

'I see the connections and network that have been built through the program as the most valuable resources, both within the team and outside, with like-minded people, professionals, communities and industrial partners. 

The workshops and hand-on experiences are also something I consider as especially valuable, not only because I discovered a lot of new interests, inspiration and passion through them, but also because I realised how necessary the hands-on experience is for learning and understanding materials and their characteristics on a deeper level compared to mere theoretical knowledge, which I see as crucial for a conscious design- and building process.'