SoA+D Summer Study Trip 2025 | SoA+D Goes to France
From July 21 to 31, 2025, the School of Architecture and Design (SoA+D) organized its annual summer study trip abroad under the theme “Alternative Design and Architecture in Post-Industrial Territories.” Led by Ms. Apirom Konganan, Design Innovation program lecturer, the trip brought together a group of seven students: three from Architecture, one from Interior Architecture, and three from Communication Design — to explore how former industrial cities are being transformed through innovative design approaches. The group visited key sites in Bruay-La-Buissière, Lille/Roubaix, Mons (Wallonia), and Paris, gaining valuable insights into adaptive reuse, urban regeneration, and interdisciplinary design practices within evolving European contexts.
(Brief background)
For centuries, the mining and textile industries have been key drivers France’s economy. The Northern regions still bear the marks of their industrial past, offering vivid examples of the long-lasting social and environmental impact that industries can have on territories. Today, Northern France is at the forefront of transforming post-industrial landscapes, with design-led strategies playing a central role in its revitalization.
The summer trip will therefore provide SoA+D students with a unique opportunity to explore the history and regeneration of this region through the lens of design and architecture. How can we reinterpret industrial heritage to drive innovation, rehabilitate, and revitalize these sites, proposing new uses and future possibilities?
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