ARCHITECTURE WEEK 2011: CEFPI working with students in SA

During Architecture Week 2011 the South Australian Chapter of the Institute of Architects organised a program for ‘Architects Presenting in Schools’. The aim of the program was to discuss with school communities the importance of their built environments and the value of design in the creation of liveable communities and improving wellbeing.

Many Architects participated in the program, working with schools who have recently benefitted from the BER program and who have experienced ‘first hand’ elements of the design and construction process.

Deborah Aukland and Jessica Whitford from Brown Falconer in SA visited Burton Birth to Year 7 School and lead an interactive session with students discussing the built environment within the context of Burton School’s current redevelopment project. A new preschool, shared outdoor learning area and community common is under construction which the students have been following closely and have been able to reflect on the opportunities the co-location of the preschool will offer.

Selected students presented a current project ‘Design Your Own Backyard’. The students designed their ideal backyard, researching materials and costs and then constructed a model detailing their design. A ‘mini critique’ followed to discuss the student’s methodology and design outcomes.

It was inspiring to see such keen interest and obvious appreciation of the built environment captured in the student models, including detailed spatial awareness and an understanding of construction elements required to fulfil the ‘client brief’.