WORKSHOP FOR 6TH GRADE STUDENTS

I´m working at Pori Children’s Artschool. The past schoolyear 3

groups, from twelve to thirteen years old children has been taking

part to architectural workshop. I will decripe one working process

in spring 2004.

Pupils had to plan a little house for the court-yard of the school. At

first each other made a model of the house. We made desicion that

everybody has to make ”the box” with 5x5x5 metres by scale

1:20. Also two floors were neseccary.

Pupils cut the corners of the box, built up balconys and entrances.

They put all them dreams and wishes into the house. For excample

one boy which made the house in the pictures wanted to have a

huge tv, a soft sofa and small windows. His purpose was to offer a

pleasant space for all pupils of artschool.

My opinion as teacher for planning is to start by model making. It

helps children to think three-dimensional. Also it prepare to

understand pictures and measures in these.

Pupils made at least one facade, floor plan, site plan and indoor

picture. Almost all started to make they own portfolio by computer

and the PowerPoint software. They has to write and explain their

plans but also estimate working and learning. All works were

presented in exhipition in our school.

In the end of the course we had time to do some excursions. Pupils

had digital camera to took some pictures in couples. The purpose

was learn to see differences in built environment – things like ugly,

beautiful, unnoticeable, silent, etc.

All this took 11 times and 25 hours.

.

Old Rauma is the largest unified

historical wooden town in the Nordic

countries. Old Rauma area covers an area

of 28 hectares and there are 600

buildings, most of which are privately

owned. The population of Old Rauma is

800. The lively business is concentrated

around the market square. In 1991 Old

Rauma was inscribed on the UNESCO

World Heritage list, which includes

cultural and natural sites of outstanding

universal value.

The Fantasy Gate

In the end of May 2004 I was organizing some workshops for

school-rooms in yard of Art Museum in Old Rauma with Rauma

Art Museum and Aladdin’s Lamp of Satakunta. The children got

known some samples of the historical interest gates which

inspired to build their own fantasy gates. The Old Rauma also

offer a lot of examples of gates which are included for street-

view.

First three days we built models from recycling materials. Every

children made one gate to take home.

Last time was open for all those who were interested to

take part in workshops. In all these groups were 9 children

from 5 to 12 years old. At first children draw some ideas to

the paper. After that we pick up ideas for one big gate to

realise. The gate was build from wood, chicken wire and

paperboard and it was located at the yard of the Art

Museum.

In the finished gate there was two animals as pylons, the

sun at the top of the gate was made from chicken wire and

also a number of other smaller details were constructed.

The gate is still in place at the yard of Rauma Art

Museum. Bypassers can see it from the street.