NBM - City Vision Program Wk 2

The CityVision program uses design as a framework to teach middle and high school students how to become active participants in shaping their communities. Students take part in fieldwork and mentoring at the NBM to identify needs and propose solutions to help local neighborhoods.
The program goals for students are to:

• Develop problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Learn technical skills, including sketching and architectural drawing, photography, scale, and model building
• Practice negotiation and collaboration while working as a team
• Sharpen public speaking and communication skills
• Explore careers in architecture, engineering, construction and design

30 Yr 7 students from Stuart-Hobson Middle School in DC are currently taking part in the program one day a week from February through May.

Students take part in a series of design challenges before tackling the redesign of a local site.

Here they are learning about urban planning and the classification of different buildings and spaces into 5 general areas; Commercial, Residential, Industrial, Institutional and Public Space.

Each group is asked to complete their colour coded board by matching the correct image to the correct board.
Students debate buildings and areas that may straddle two different categories ie sports facilities that charge admission, but all images are roughly divided.

   

Individuals in each group then draw a visual representation of an element for their board.
Here a student designs a monument as part of Public Space.

A large canvas floor plan is laid out and students from each group decide where to place their element and to explain their decision. One student chose to place his police station near a grocery store because, "they always get held up".

This urban planning exercise again generates much debate with students arguing for more services around residential areas and for industrial elements to be further away.

Students are asked to reflect on buildings in their own neighbourhoods as they leave for the day and to record the types of buildings in a colour coded plan in their sketchbooks.