We spend most of our lives in buildings. We make our homes in them. We go to school in them. We work and eat and play in them. But why – or how did people start making buildings? For those with a passion for drawing, or dreams of creating big builds, this program explores how architects work, moving through the process of planning and designing to construction and creation. Aspiring architects will discover design techniques, along with different architectural styles, before bringing their visions to life.. The exciting world of architecture is at our fingertips… What will you build?
In this program, it will be up to the Instructor(s) to gauge the interests of the group and decide how best to structure the overall term. A suggested 10-week term plan is as follows:
- Discuss: What is architecture? Discuss Era and Features. Ask students to draw a new building based on a historical one — changing the facade or function of the building and do a show and share with the group to discuss.
- Show pictures of famous buildings from around the world – how many do the students know and can name? Have students work in teams to build a recreation of a famous building using only wooden blocks and popsicle sticks. Discuss outcomes in a show and share and review engineering challenges. Consider incorporating the “Build it to Balance” and/or “Bridge Building” lessons.
- Teach students what an “Exterior Concept Sketch” is. Have them work individually to create their own in this lesson. This may be the start of their final project. Let students know that they may change their design in an upcoming week — this is the time to be creative. Show and share.
- Teach students what a “Landscape Concept Sketch” is. Have students work individually or in teams to create a concept for their final builds. This is when they need to settle on an idea. Ask students to begin really thinking about the who, what, where and why’s of their buildings. Who is it going to be used by? Who will fund it? What is the purpose of the building? Where will it be? Urban? Rural? Why would someone visit this building? Work? Commerce? Tourism?
- Teach students about “Scale Drawing”. Have them continue working on their concepts through drawings.
- Teach students about “Blueprint Drawing” and “Interior Design Drawing”. Have them continue working on their concepts through drawings. Do a show and share of their final concept drawings – perhaps structuring it like a board meeting with formal presentations to the group about their designs.
- Begin building. Ask students to try as hard as they can to stay true to the concepts and scale they created in their drawings. Ideally they are building in teams so that the storage space needed is limited. Buildings should be to scale if possible, but should be small. Remind students that they will need to decide who takes home what part at the end of the term.)
- Continue building. (Allow for more weeks on your build if you have a longer term, revisit key concepts from above as needed to guide and inspire your students. If you have a term shorter than 10 weeks, combine some weeks above to streamline and allow ample time for building.)
- Begin to wrap up building.
- Finish building and leave time for final presentations.
See these great online sources for Architecture info specifically geared to children:
Check out these great builds from a previous Architecture group:
Aspiring Architects Packing List
Note that a wide variety of crafting materials will be packed for this program. Depending on the interests of the participants, additional items may be requested by emailing Liz at any time. Please give at least 1 week notice when requesting supplies.
| QUANTITY | ITEM | |
| PAPER | 1 folder | white paper |
| 1 folder | cardstock (colourful) | |
| 1 folder | white cardstock | |
| 1 folder | black cardstock | |
| 1 folder | construction paper | |
| 1 folder | large white cardstock | |
| 1 folder | large white paper | |
| 20 | cardboard squares | |
| PENCILS & PENS | 1 bag | pencils |
| 1 bag | pencil crayons | |
| 1 bag | markers | |
| 1 bag | coloured sharpies | |
| 1 bag | black fine tip sharpies | |
| 1 bag | erasers | |
| ATTACHMENTS | 4 rolls | scotch tape |
| 2 rolls | painters tape | |
| 2 rolls | masking tape | |
| 4 rolls | duct tape | |
| 1 bag | washii tape | |
| 3 bottles | white glue | |
| 8 | glue sticks | |
| 1 set | glue guns | |
| 1 container | metal brads | |
| ADDITIONAL SUPPLIES | 1 bag | scissors |
| 1 set | hole punches | |
| 15 | rulers, scale if available | |
| 2 containers | elastic bands | |
| 50 | paper cups | |
| 1 bag | large popsicle sticks | |
| 1 bag | small popsicle sticks | |
| 2 skeins | kitchen twine | |
| 1 set | model magic | |
| 1 set | building blocks |