WORKSHOP FOR 6TH GRADE STUDENTS

1. 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. .

2. 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.