Intro to Architecture: 1 Day Workshop

Service Description

Date: 27 May 2025 Time: 9:30- 16:30 (includes a one-hour lunch break) Cost: £90 (includes all materials and refreshments. Lunch not included – please bring a packed lunch.) Age: students aged 11+ with a creative spark and an interest in design, architecture, or problem-solving This one-day, hands-on workshop invites students to explore the exciting world of architecture through creative, practical activities. You’ll experiment with structure, space, and problem-solving—just like real architects and designers do. The day includes two focused sessions: a tower-building challenge in the morning and a bus stop redesign project in the afternoon. Morning Session: Tower-Building Challenge (9:30 AM – 12:30 PM) Kick off the day by learning how architects and engineers design for height, strength, and stability. Then take on a challenge to build the tallest and strongest structure possible using everyday materials. What You’ll Do: Learn about the key principles behind tall structures: balance, base design, tension and compression, and materials -Explore how real-life towers are designed—from skyscrapers to observation decks -Choose to work solo or in a small group -Plan, build, test, and refine your own structure using simple craft materials -Compete in a friendly showcase to see whose tower performs best (tallest, strongest, most original) Lunch Break (12:30 PM – 1:30 PM) Time to relax and recharge. Please bring a packed lunch. Afternoon Session: Reimagine the Bus Stop (1:30 PM – 4:30 PM) Now it’s time to apply your creativity to a real-world urban design challenge: redesigning the humble bus stop. You’ll think about how public spaces can be more useful, accessible, and inspiring. What You’ll Do: -Explore how bus shelters are used (and often overlooked) in everyday life -Discuss what makes a bus stop great: shelter, comfort, accessibility, sustainability, even community engagement -Take on the design brief: create a new bus stop for a location of your choice -Sketch and plan your concept, then build a scale model using recyclable and craft materials -Present your design to the group and reflect on how your ideas improve user experience By the End of the Day, You’ll Have: -Built and tested a tall structure using architectural principles -Designed and modelled an improved public bus stop -Developed skills in sketching, spatial design, model-making, and creative problem-solving -Gained insight into how architecture impacts everyday life