We had a great first class today! I asked the kids what they wanted to learn about architecture and got some really great responses – everything from, “is a triangle really the strongest shape?” and “I don’t really know what this class is about,” to “I want to learn how to draw houses better.”
Before we can start designing spaces, we need to lay the foundation, so to speak, of thinking in three dimensions. We will do this by using some basic measuring and drafting techniques to translate the built environment – in this case the classroom – into its basic 2-dimensional architectural drawings. This will help the kids understand what the lines on a drawings represent and help them to visualize their own creations!
The students learned how to use a tape measure and they worked in teams of two to measure some objects around the room. We even learned some tips to help estimate the size of a room if you don’t have a tape measure, or if your tape measure is too short (like ours were)! Hint: Ask your student how big the classroom floor and ceiling tiles are!
After looking at some floor plan examples and discussing the concept of scale, we started to draw a floor plan of the art room. We will finish it next week and move on to interior elevations to give height to our room.
We have so many fun things to do in the next 7 weeks!