Cartography of controversy as an approach to inquiry into care and the city: a case study with architecture students

Purpose The purpose of this study is to design, implement and evaluate an instructional module aimed at architecture students, using the cartography of controversy approach to inquire into the issue of spaces of care in the city. This research addresses the critical need for students to engage with the complexities of care in domestic and public spaces. Design/methodology/approach This research employs a case study approach, complemented by elements of action research, to investigate the impact of an instructional module on architecture students. The module is implemented with 18 architecture students. Results are obtained through the analysis of students' works: initial controversy maps, collaborative cartography and final design proposals. Findings The results obtained suggest that the instructional module helped students to reflect on spaces of care in the city from a multidimensional, systemic and critical perspective. A significant shift in students' perspectives on it, with a notable increase in a more critical position by the end of the module. The initial controversy maps made it possible to visualize the level of complexity of the controversy perceived by the students. The projects carried out by the students relate and develop aspects of care that appeared in the initial controversy maps and collaborative mapping. Originality/value This study contributes to the field of architectural education by highlighting the value of cartography of controversy as a novel approach for fostering a critical view of spaces of care in the city. This could help students in designing their projects to address the complexities of care spaces in the city.