A school is like a small city with a variety of room types. List the function of each room in your school and use a scale in drawing to create the plan type of each function. Next, correlate it to a building, room or space in the city. (For example, the principal’s office may be related to the mayor’s office.) Create a graphic list of each through the principal geometry of the plans of the school and the city.

Submit your graphic list.

View This Activity's Gallery

Think about what type of building you would like to have in your neighborhood. Do you need a school? A grocery store, restaurant or sports arena? Are there any vacant lots or vacant buildings nearby? What type of purpose could a new building or new use of an old building serve? Could a new or re-used building serve multiple purposes like a coffee shop/bookstore? Video rental/concessions store? Art supply store/gallery? Laundry/video library or even an Internet Cafe? Make a list of activities that would be great to have in your neighborhood. Talk to your family and friends; see which activities they think would be great to have nearby. Then, consider where a new building type might be built (or renovated), why it would be built, and who would use this building. Be certain to consider the use of the building in the future, beyond your lifetime. Make a poster with a map showing the location of your new place, name it, and list the activities that would happen in it.

Think like a developer! Imagine the future!

Building on your work in activity two, it is time to visualize your building! Draw out the ground you have available. Think about how people might enter the structure; which direction will they be coming from the most? Next, draw a front elevation. Consider the base of the building at the street level, the door and window openings, and the roof outline. How will it look from the street? How will the building's use affect how it looks? Take a look at some other journeys like Green Buildings and Facade Elements to get some ideas to add character to your design! Make a second poster presenting your building. Color the façade showing materials and create a good representation of how it would look. Add signage, print pictures of people and place them in front of your building. Show your ideas to other people! Find out what they think!

Imagine the future!