Including Architecture in K-12 Education

Architecture literally surrounds us. It pervades every aspect of our lives. Therefore, including it in K-12 education should be straightforward. Below I’ve looked briefly at how architecture could be included in only three subject areas of traditional education, but I have little doubt that with more thought it could be included in nearly every subject. (I haven’t looked at solar orientation or sustainability, for instance, both of which could be covered in either Earth Science or Life Science.)

In English class when studying a story, students could be asked to draw a plan or section diagram, or build a model of a building important to the plot. (Jane Erye comes to mind.) They might be asked what kind of light the building allows in; what certain rooms feel like as opposed to others; what materials the floors, ceilings, and walls are; how tall or wide spaces are; and how all of this would affect the life or mood of the occupant. They could look at the deeper meaning this building has for the resident in the story. Then they could be asked to do the same in their own lives by picking a building important to them, performing the same analysis (drawing plans, sections, and building a model), and writing about the physical and ephemeral qualities that make it important to them. (Granted, most kids will likely write about their house, but an exercise like this would make them aware of their house as architecture.)

In math class, it is always better to apply concepts. When learning multiplication, students could learn about space as well, square feet being such an important concept in real estate and architecture. Understanding the difference between square feet and volume might help break the dependence on square feet as a resale indicator by putting the emphasis on the experience of the space instead of on the amount of flooring. This could be demonstrated in the classroom by taping outlines on the floor for representing the square footage, but adjusting the “ceiling” heights inside that space (someone could stand on a stool holding out a piece of cardboard while someone else stands in the space under it). The shape of the taped outline could be adjusted to achieve the same square footage, but an unusable space. Rearranging furniture within a usable space, based on their dimensions could also be a worthwhile exercise.

During geometry sections, though, is when buildings absolutely need to be studied. Proportions in relation to the human body and volume are essential. Students could learn about scale by building models with the same proportions but with larger dimensions and looking at the results of both when compared to a human figurine. Nearly every geometric exercise could be applied to a building in some way.

In Social Studies (that’s what they called it in my school district, think history/current events/cultural studies), any building that played an important role in the history of the United States is fair game. As are important historic figures who commissioned or designed buildings. When Thomas Jefferson is discussed, his architectural importance should not be ignored. He contributed greatly to the style of our national buildings by helping to start an American Classicism based on the ancient Greek temple. He also had a large effect on how the college campus developed based on his design for the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Monticello, the home he designed and redesigned, is so important to our history and to his identity that it appears on the back of the nickel.

The development of building types directly reflects our economy. The skyscraper, as one example, developed in Chicago first before spreading to the rest of the world. Students could study the form and purpose of skyscrapers, the history and structure of Chicago, and then be asked why. What was it about Chicago that allowed this to happen, that impelled it to happen? Students could read The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair, not just as an anti-industrialization book, but also as a text illustrating the harm caused by not having architects and building codes to ensure the safety of the immigrant workers.

Why did suburbs develop? Why do we all want to live in freestanding, single-family homes? What are the positive aspects of living far from work and school? What are the negative aspects? Why do people get so upset about Wal-Mart? And the most important question that every child should be asked is, Why is the car so important and how does it affect the design of our buildings?