A new design studio course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is teaching students how buildings can both emerge from and reveal the internal dynamics of their geographic context. The course, titled "Territory as Interior" (4.154), challenges architecture students to think beyond traditional building design by considering ecological principles, urban economics, and social factors when addressing real-world problems in marginalized or degraded areas.
For graduate student Dong Nyung Lee, who previously struggled to explain what architecture study entailed, the course provided crucial clarity about the field's scope and purpose. "I was always confused about how to describe it myself," Lee says with a laugh. "I would tell them that it wasn't just about a building, or a city, or a community. It's a balance across different scales, and it has to touch everything all at once."
Designed by lecturer Roi Salgueiro Barrio from MIT's Department of Architecture, the course requires students to design buildings that serve specific communities in particular locations while considering broader economic and social impacts. "When we build, we always impact economies, mostly by the different types of technologies we use and their dependence on different types of labor and materials," explains Salgueiro Barrio. "The intention here was to think at both levels: the activities that can be accommodated, and how we can actually build something."
Students were tasked with repurposing an abandoned fishing industry building on the Barbanza Peninsula in Galicia, Spain, while proposing new economic activities that would help regenerate the local economy. Working in groups, they researched the region's material resources and fiscal sectors, creating detailed maps as part of their analysis. This comprehensive approach was new for master's student Vincent Jackow, who noted, "Normally in architecture, we work at the scale of one-to-100 meters, but this process allowed me to connect the dots between what the region offered and what could be built to support the economy."
The project aligned with the goals of Fundación RIA, a nonprofit think tank established by Pritzker Prize-winning architect David Chipperfield. The foundation generates research and territorial planning aimed at long-term sustainability of both built and natural environments in the Galicia region. During spring break in March, students traveled to Galicia, where they met with Chipperfield, local business owners, fishermen, and farmers while exploring various sites and consulting with the owner of the building they would repurpose.
Returning to MIT, students constructed nine detailed models representing their design solutions. Master's student Aleks Banaś chose the studio specifically because it required exploring multiple scales in architectural projects, from territorial analysis to building details, while keeping socio-economic aspects of design decisions in mind. "I'm interested in how architecture can support local economies," says Banaś. "Visiting Galicia was very special because of the communities we interacted with. We were no longer looking at articles and maps of the region; we were learning about day-to-day life."
Banaś was particularly impressed by the region's strong maritime history and generations of craftspeople working in timber boat-making. Inspired by the collective spirit of the region, she designed "House of Sea," transforming the former cannery into a hub for community gathering and seafront activities. Her reimagined building would accommodate multiple functions including a boat-building workshop for the Ribeira carpenters association, a restaurant, and a large covered section for local events such as the annual barnacle festival. "I wanted to demonstrate how we can create space for an alternative economy that can host and support these skills and traditions," explains Banaś.
Jackow's project, "La Nueva Cordelería" (New Rope Making), proposed a facility using hemp to produce rope and hempcrete blocks, a sustainable construction material. "The production of both is very on-trend in the E.U. and provides an alternative to petrochemical-based ropes for the region's marine uses," says Jackow. His building would serve as a cultural hub incorporating a café, worker housing, and offices, with its very structure making use of rope by joining timber with knots, allowing interior spaces to be redesigned as needed.
Lee's design engaged with the forestry and agricultural industries, addressing what he found most intriguing about the region. "What intrigued me was that Galicia is heavily dependent on pulp production and wood harvesting," he says. "I wanted to give value to the post-harvest residue." Lee designed a biochar plant using existing concrete and terra cotta blocks on site. The biochar would be produced by heating harvested wood residue through pyrolysis—thermal decomposition in an environment with little oxygen—with the resulting material used by farmers for soil enhancement.
The student work demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of local resources and their potential for area revitalization, impressing both instructors and partners. Salgueiro Barrio was pleased with the results, and Fundación RIA was so impressed that they held an exhibition at their gallery in Santiago de Compostela during August and September to highlight the importance of connecting academic research with territory through student projects. Banaś interned with RIA over the summer, working on multiple projects including planning and designing the exhibition, which she describes as a challenge to "design an exhibition of academic work for a general audience."
For Lee, the course proved more meaningful than any he had previously taken, with the project's multiple scales illustrating what he considers the biggest challenge for designers and architects. "Architecture is universal, and very specific," he reflects. "Keeping those dualities in focus was the biggest challenge and the most interesting part of this project. It hit at the core of what architecture is." The course successfully demonstrated how thoughtful architectural design can serve as a catalyst for regional economic and social regeneration while respecting local traditions and environmental constraints.
