Architects shape the future through the design of buildings and the spaces they create. Another approach is to have an effect on education of the next generation of our children. The Washington Architectural Foundation’s Architecture in the Schools (AIS) program allows architects to work with educators in their school to teach Students grades K – 12, about the built environment in a creative and comprehensible way.I have been fortunate to participate in the program this year. In working with third grade students, I was able to support them to develop the creative skills that will help them in all aspects of life regardless of the field they eventually decide to pursue.
Students of Bernadette School in Springfield
The focus, among other things, is on basic geometry.
At the St. Bernadette School in Springfield, Virginia where I participate, we are focusing on basic geometry and green building design.The school requested that the program to include geometry, one of their new curriculum requirements. Green building design was incorporated to further commemorate this year’s AIA 150th Anniversary theme of Livable Communities.
As I wrote the syllabus for the eight-week program, I discovered that I was not only teaching them basic math and sustainability concepts, but also how architecture involves
communication, cultures, history and technology.The students learned about these concepts by discussing the responsibilities of an architect and related design and construction professionals; building structures out of toothpicks and marshmallows; studying old and new building materials; drawing floor plans, elevations and sections; building models; and discussing communities and more.
Our final project was the design of a dwelling for an animal.The dwelling design incorporated the geometry taught throughout the program, while being to sensitive to the environment by using recycled materials the students had collected. Students started the project by researching their animals in the school library.They developed a design program with the animal as their client, understanding the needs of the animal in the same way that we strive to discover and meet the needs of our more customary clients.Their clients varied from a domestic dog or cat, to monkeys, moles and reptiles.Some houses were very traditional, while others were tree houses and multilevel buildings with glass walls. They expressed their designs through a variety of drawings and a model. The most difficult aspect of the project was selecting the animal for their project and limiting the project to just one animal!
The students also took hold of the idea of recycling and collected countless trash bags full of materials from Kleenex boxes to the tubes in paper towel rolls.One student has saved every milk carton from his school lunch, bringing it home to wash and returning to school each day.Needless to say, since the start of the program, their classroom has become a major recycling center. All students present their final projects at the last class of the program, helping them develop their presentation skills. The grand finale of the AIS program culminates by showcasing our projects at the Athenaeum in Old Town, Alexandria, starting with an opening reception on April 13,2007.Northern Virginia schools will display their works at the Athenaeum thru May 15, 2007.
Students of Bernadette School in Springfield
Students of Bernadette School in Springfield
My students are very proud of their accomplishments and talk about their works of art with enthusiasm.Even the students who were unsure of their artistic skills at the beginning of the program now seem more confident.This hands-on program where children learn by doing, enables students to explore their environment in a new way and discover their ability to direct change to improve the places they live in.
Similar programs are held throughout the country, such as the DC AIS opening reception and exhibit on April 18th. For more information on this program and other related sites, see the links below.
Terri Mestas graduated from CatholicUniversity in 1991.Her experience includes projects for several government agencies to include the Army, Navy, FEMA, NASA, NIH, and OBO.She has worked on Schools, Laboratories, Hospitals, Office Buildings, U.S. Embassies, Military Installations and Community Recreational Facilities to list a few. For the last two years, she has been employed at DMJM as the senior architect at a satellite office. This is her third year of involvement in the (AIS) Architecture in the School program.She was involved during the earlier years of the program, when it was called Arches. Now, I have grade school aged children. Therefore I have a new perspective on what the students gain from the course and can appreciate the extent of what architects can provide to our next generation.I sincerely recommend volunteering for these types of programs to other architects; it is genuinely a worthy and gratifying experience.
Additional images
Terri Mestas
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