Why teach Architecture?

Do you speak a foreign language? Do your kids? I took two years of Spanish and four years of French in high school, and I don't speak either one well, at all. But my five-year-old picks up Spanish out of books, TV, even music very easily. What about piano? I learned as a kid, and although I didn't take lessons for some 20 years, I'm finding I can still figure out how those keys work together. Many subjects are easier to learn as a child, and I believe architecture is no different.

Is architecture a subject everyone needs to know to get along in the real world? No, I must admit not. So why spend a month or even a week on it with your kids? I believe architecture is an exciting way to teach many disciplines to kids of all ages. It makes a great unit study and shows why math and reading and logic are all very important skills. Let me list some examples.

How many kids love to memorize those multiplication tables? Not many, I suggest. However, when a student can measure his own room and calculate its square footage, then it becomes a useful skill! Math is an integral part of architectural design, from square footage to calculating beam strength. Wouldn't your student be thrilled to use math skills to design and build a REAL truss and then get to test its strength?

What about that spelling and vocabulary cirriculum? Architecture has a language all its own, greatly borrowed from Latin, and it's full of vocabulary lessons and spelling skills. Here's a short list: foundation, contractor, beam, lintel, Gothic, cathedral, narthex, program, organic. There are thousands of words that architects use that can add to your child's vocabulary.

Geography? In Architecture. Oh, yes. Do you realize the floor plan of a building is much like a map? I was thrilled that my three-year-old knew how to draw a "map " of her room and place the furniture in it quite accurately! Not all kids catch on to spatial relationships that easily, but much like doing puzzles, mapping and drawing out spaces is a great aid to math! Not only is mapping a fun part of architecture, what about an in-depth study of Italy or Spain, through its architecture! Can you put a list of 10 famous cathedrals on a map of Europe?

If you add the completion dates of those 10 cathedrals, not to mention the hundreds of others out there, and maybe the name of the king or church leader who commissioned it's construction, you have history lessons in 3-D! Architecture has been an integral part of civilization from the days of caves, and it also has a close relationship to art and to the churches of the past. In fact, the beliefs of the early church drove its design. There is a sociology lesson, too!

Can you think of any science in architecture? How about the science of materials? For example, which is stronger per square inch, Douglas Fir or steel? Which lasts longer in a fire? Which weighs more per inch and what is the advantage to lighter, stronger material, anyway? What about the science of color? Did you know that colors affect the way people feel? How can that be used in design? Why do contractors take soil samples at a new construction site? How do you build a beach house around a growing erosion problem? Is there a way to build a "hurricane-proof" structure? What is a shear wall? I hope I have you wondering!

Does your child like building models? It's much like putting together a puzzle. However, architects use models, of many media, to express their own original ideas. Would you student enjoy touring a building, drawing sketches, and then building a model of what he saw? Could he learn powerful observation skills and attention to detail in an exercise like this? I don't know what "subject" this learning falls into, but it doesn't really matter. This is a vital part of living in our real world.

This is just a small portion of the list I've compiled on lessons out of architecture. Hopefully it's got you thinking in new directions, as I am. If you have questions regarding any of this, or suggestions, please email me.
You might also want to look at the Unit Studies I am currently writing. Again, if you see something you can't wait to get, let me know and I'll get it to you ASAP.
I look forward to working on this in the near future.