Overview
Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply to the Moving Boundaries courses?
The courses are open to architecture and design professionals, including architects, urban designers landscape architects, historians, artists, environmental and health experts, lighting, interior and product designers, cognitive scientists and psychologists, sociologists, neuroscientists and anthropologists, as well as educators, graduate and postdoctoral students in these disciplines from any part of the world.
In what language will the course be conducted?
Lectures, masterclasses, workshops, and roundtable discussions will all be conducted in English. Several supporting faculty speak other languages, and they may be able to help with translation occasionally (we cannot provide continuous translation).
Tuition will cover the full academic program: lectures, workshops, field trip (bus rental and tour of Mosteiro Leca do Balio), networking and social events, roundtable discussions, the Certificate of Completion, and the Welcome Dinner. Tuition will also cover digital course materials and recordings of selected discussions, as soon as they are edited after the end of the course, for 6 months. Travel expenses and meals are not included in tuition, and architecture/museum tour tickets are not covered, except for the one-hour tour of Mosteiro Leca do Balio and Alvaro Siza's Open Sculpture building next to the Mosteiro.
What will tuition cover?
Can I receive credits for attending?
Credits for the program need to be approved by the university you are currently attending. Check with your academic advisor regarding the procedure for obtaining credits since some institutions require that credits be approved prior to enrolling in the program. Practicing architects may apply (on their own) for AIA learning credits, but the outcome depends on your local chapter and cannot be guaranteed by MB. A Syllabus with a summary of all activities and list of course hours can be provided.
How do I get from Porto to my Pousada in Amares or Geres?
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From Porto Airport (Portugal)
There are multiple transportation options available to reach your Pousada (hotel) from Porto Airport. You may take the Porto airport shuttle to Braga. You may also opt for the train or bus, which will take you to Braga or Guimaraes. Once you're in one of these cities, Uber is easily accessible and convenient to use. The drive from Braga center to the Pousada is just over 35 minutes. We also recommend renting a car at Porto Airport, which can be as low as 18 euro/day, if reserved well ahead of time. Travel from the airport to your Pousada will be between 1 hour and 1 hour 10 mins. Especially if you are staying at Pousada Geres, having access to a rental car (which can be shared with an MB colleague) will give you more flexibility.
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What supplies will I need to bring?
A notebook, pens, and sketching materials should suffice, but we also recommend bringing a laptop computer or a tablet computer. We will not be working with digital modeling tools during this course.
Participants are responsible for financing their travel to Portugal, lodging and meals. Tuition does not include travel expenses and arrangements. Moving Boundaries has secured a large group discount (80 euro/day for a single) with complimentary breakfast, for lodging at two Pousadas. Participants may take advantage of the sign-up list in Google Drive, sharing a room (and/or a rental car) in order to minimize expenses. Sharing options shall be initiated and coordinated by participants using a sign-up list created by MB for the group.
Participants are responsible for booking their room directly with Pestana (by writing to Ms.Ferreira) and for paying for the room 45 days before the course start.
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Please plan to arrive at your Pousada, about 1 hour away from Porto airport, before 12 noon on March 22. If you wish to minimize the effects of jet lag, please consider arriving on March 21 or earlier. On March 25, we will have a field trip to Porto. The bus trip is included in tuition, but some tours will be "add-ons". The bus will take everyone back to the Pousada late that evening. However, you will have the option to stay the night in Porto, as March 26 will be a free day. If you chose to remain in Porto, please keep in mind that you should reserve a hotel for that 1 night and return on your own to Amares/Geres on March 26. The Program will conclude by 3:00pm on March 30. The lunch on the last day (1:00-3:00pm at Pousada Amares) is an add-on and attendance is optional.
How will lodging and meals be arranged?
Tuition is $1,800 for professionals and $1,300 for fulltime students. Our special large group discount for lodging in the Pousada, offered by Pestana, is 80 euro per night for 8 nights (as compared with the usual price of over 150 euro per night.) Please consider transportation and meals in your budget.
How much will it cost to attend?
This is a special, smaller course, which does not have a scholarship program. Our next larger course (with over 90 participants) will have a scholarship program.
Does the course have a scholarship program?
What resources will be offered before and during the course?
All participants will have access to a brochure with abstracts of presentations and a collection of digital resources that include video lectures from our last course, before March 2025. After the course, participants will have access to selected recordings from the course. Additionally, participants will have access to a group communication platform (WhatsApp) , where they will be able to interact with one another and uphold their network, during and after the on-site program. They will also have access to MB Alumni Resources on the website, free webinars, and other events.
Who are the speakers and how much access will I have to them throughout the course?
You will have access to speakers during all course activities and social events, including occasional meals and coffee breaks, throughout the 8 days. Find the list of speakers and their bios on the Faculty Amares page on this website.
Yes, there will be free time. Please consult the Program Amares page on this site. We do encourage you to explore the local culture and cuisine. In nearby Parque Geres, you can go hiking or visit the Thermal Baths. You will need a car. You can take advantage of our field trip to Porto on March 25, which is followed by a free day. If you would like to visit additional cities, we encourage you to do so before or after the 8-day course. After lectures and social events finish on March 30, we encourage everyone to see (on their own) additional work by architects and landscape architects in Portugal and Spain. MB will provide recommendations. Recommended cities include Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain and Viana do Castelo, Coimbra or Lisbon in Portugal.
Will there be free time and can I explore other locations during the course?
Can I bring family or friends with me? Can they join the welcome dinner and the field trip?
Yes, family and friends may travel with you, and they are welcome to join social events during the course, but they may not attend lectures, workshops or roundtable discussions. If you have friends or family who wish to travel to Porto with you on March 25, please rent or share a car. There is enough space on the tour bus for all MB attendees but not for family/friends, unfortunately. The bus seats 56 people.
You may bring one person with you to our complimentary MB welcome dinner on March 22, but please first ask us if space permits. Each extra guest may pay for the dinner ahead of time, using our payment link. Other meals may be taken in the Pousada, with payment charged by Pestana after the meal or to your room bill (if you are lodging in Pousada Amares).
If I am staying at Pousada Geres, how will I get to the teaching venue at Pousada Amares?
Moving Boundaries will provide a free shuttle, which will pick up everyone at Pousada Geres just after breakfast. The shuttle will also take you back in the evening. Unfortunately we cannot provide transportation during lunch, as lunch will be offered for all at Pousada Amares. If you wish to rent a car at the airport in Porto, for the 8 days of the Program, you will have more flexibility for travel back and forth and also for additional self-organized tours in the Minho or other region(s).