Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mrs. Tipping, and I'm really looking forward to learning with you today about urban life through drawing and design.

We're going to do lots of thinking, talking, and exploring together in this lesson.

So shall we get started? Let's go.

By the end of today's lesson, you'll be able to plan and design an imaginative play space that suits an urban environment.

Before we start, I would like to introduce you to some keywords.

We'll be using these keywords during the lesson, so it might be a good idea to write these words down.

The keywords we'll be using today are design, function, structure, perspective.

I'm going to say those again and I would like you to repeat them after me.

Design, function, structure, perspective.

Good job.

Now let's think in more detail about what these keywords mean.

Let's take a look at their definitions.

Design is a creative plan or drawing that shows how something will function or look.

Function refers to the purpose or use of a design feature or structure.

A structure is a built or natural object made from different parts arranged in a specific way.

Perspective is a drawing technique used to represent three-dimensional space on a flat surface.

Pause the video here to make a note of these keywords, and when you are ready to continue, press play.

These are the learning cycles that we'll be working through together in today's lesson, understanding urban play spaces and designing a space to play.

And this first learning cycle, we're going to take a look at urban play spaces to help us understand them more.

Can you think of some words to describe this city scene? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner, and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? How would you describe this scene? Perhaps you said that it looked overcrowded, maybe noisy or bright.

There's quite a lot of lights in that image, isn't there? Well, urban areas are cities and towns.

They're often busy, built-up places full of people, transport, noise, and public spaces.

Urban spaces are designed to meet the needs of the people who use them.

The purpose or use of something is referred to as its function.

Take a look at this bird's eye view here of roads by a city.

Look at the different interesting shapes and directions those roads go.

The function of a road is to enable vehicles to transport people or items from one place to another.

The function of a building depends on how it will be used, and they are designed accordingly.

How is a school building used differently to a family home or hospital? And how is this reflected in the way that they are designed? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? How are those buildings designed differently? Well, a school has to have lots of other rooms for different classes to go to, whereas a family home doesn't need as many rooms as a school.

And a hospital also needs many different rooms, but they're used for a different reason.

They're used for if somebody has been injured or is poorly.

So they need to be used with fewer people inside those rooms. Whereas classrooms, you can have 30 or so pupils in one room.

Urban design considers more than just buildings and roads.

Urban spaces need to provide different functions.

People also need safe and fun places to relax, meet others, be active and play.

Take a look at that urban park scene there with paths, nature, and then the buildings surrounding it.

Urban play spaces combine function with fun.

They should provide people, families, and children with fun, engaging, and interactive activities.

Have a look here at this playground that's in front of some large buildings.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

What is the function of a play space? To park cars and vehicles, to store food and resources, to provide fun and interaction? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said it's to provide fun and interaction, you're absolutely right.

Well done.

What do you think is important when designing a play space? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? What's important? Well, a great play space should be safe, fun, creative, accessible, and designed for the people who will use it.

So can you think of any play spaces that are enjoyable to be in? And what makes that play space so successful? Pause the video here and have a discussion with your partner, thinking about any of the play spaces you've been to before, and press play when you are ready to continue.

What did you think? What makes play spaces enjoyable and successful? Well, Jun says, "I like being in play spaces that have different kinds of activities that encourage me to move in different ways, like climbing or jumping, and places with puzzles to solve are also great fun." And Aisha says, "Large open spaces with lots of space for games, sports, and activities are my favourite.

I also feel more relaxed when there are lots of trees, nature spots and benches to sit on." So I wonder if any of your play spaces were similar.

Did you agree with Jun or Aisha? Great play spaces can spark imagination, invite interaction, movement, and provide relaxation.

Looking at this bench here in front of the play park, you could just take a seat here and watch the birds flitting around in those trees and take a deep breath and take a moment to relax, or you could be chatting with a friend, or watching maybe brothers or sisters playing on the play equipment.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Which of these might be found in a well-designed play area? Sliding rocks, interactive features, sharp objects? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said interactive features, you're absolutely right.

Well done.

This brings us to our first learning task.

I'd like you to create a mind map for your play space design.

Consider the setting, the construction materials, and the possible interactive features.

So pause the video here and give yourself enough time to have a go at designing your play space and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did you get on? Did you add lots of things to your mind map? Well, let's look at an example.

So you might have said that your school playground and field area is where your urban play space is going to be.

You might have some wooden structures, metal for slides, and rope for climbing features, benches for people to relax on, paths and trees, and maybe even sports pitches with goalposts and nets.

So lots of different ideas there for an urban play space.

Maybe you have some of these and some others, but well done for having a go at creating your mind map to design your play space.

This brings us to the second part of our lesson.

We're going to look at designing a space to play.

Designing is planning with a purpose.

Now with some design considerations, you need to think about who it is for, what materials will be used, how will it be used, where will it be placed, and why does it matter? So thinking about a space to play, you need to consider all of these different questions, and think about asking and answering those before you begin.

Now, considering these elements helps to bring designs to life.

Lucas, Sam, and Andeep are imagining what their urban play space might be like and why it matters.

Luca says, "It should be accessible for everyone and offer a range of interactive experiences." Sam says, "It needs to feature lots of green spaces as it'll help people relax and enjoy nature easily." And Andeep says, "Areas for sports and games will mean people can exercise and play regularly." Urban play spaces should be carefully designed with regard to who it is for.

This means thinking about how the space will be interacted with and what materials will be used, ensuring there are no hazards and that it is safe for everyone.

Where the play space is also influences the structure of the design.

Think about how a school playground functions differently to an activity park.

You might use your own school play space as the basis for your design.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

Why should urban play spaces be carefully designed? To look nice for adults who will use them, to be as expensive as possible, or to be safe and fun for people who will use them? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? If you said that urban play spaces should be carefully designed to be safe and fun for people who will use them, you're absolutely right.

Well done.

You can find fun urban play spaces in your local area as well as places around the world, including Monstrum Playgrounds.

They are an architectural design company based in Denmark that develop and create interactive playground designs globally.

Through innovative design-based thinking, spaces can be created that spark imagination and encourage movement for people who are in them.

Have a look at this colourfully designed urban area that looks like a great place to spark imagination.

Isamu Noguchi was a Japanese American artist who designed a range of playgrounds that combine organic and geometric shapes, bright colours, mounds, tunnels, and slides.

These playgrounds look and feel like interactive pieces of art that combine fun with function.

To communicate your ideas through design, it is useful to use sketches, drawings, and annotations.

When drawing spaces or buildings, we can use different viewpoints to describe the space.

Elevated perspective, also known as bird's eye view, drawings allow designers to visually describe large spaces.

To create an elevated perspective drawing, imagine you are describing objects from above.

Shape, line, and annotations are used to represent key features.

Think about how different areas come together in your design's composition.

Remember that each structure in an urban play space should combine fun and function.

It's your task as a designer to ensure these qualities are brought to life in the concept drawings and finished designs.

So you can see from this drawing here, we're looking from above, so you can see the tops of the play equipment.

Let's take a moment to pause and check our understanding.

What is one purpose of annotating a drawing? To explain design ideas, to decorate designs, or to make designs colourful? Pause the video here and give yourself a moment to think and press play when you're ready to continue.

What did you think? Well, the purpose of annotating a drawing is to explain design ideas.

Well done.

This brings us to our final learning task.

I'd like you to use your plan from task A to design a play space.

You should draw your design in elevated perspective.

So that's from a bird's eye view, from above.

Add in colour in a chosen medium, and annotate your design to explain your design thinking.

So pause the video here and make sure that you give yourself enough time to use your plan from task A to design your play space, thinking about the different colour you're going to use and that medium, as well as annotating your design, and press play when you're ready to continue.

How did you get on? What medium did you choose? Did you go for paints or colouring crayon? Well, let's take a look at this example.

You might have drawn something like this where you can see some equipment like swings and slides and tunnels, and maybe you choose colouring crayon as your medium to colour your design in.

You might have said that you are going to include curved pathways to encourage exploring, maybe lots of trees, organic-shaped patches of grass to feel immersive.

Maybe some brightly coloured structures to add a sense of energy and fun, and a variety and range of movement activities like climbing, sliding, and balancing for exercise.

So well done for having a go at designing your play space, for choosing your medium to colour that in, and to annotate with all of your amazing design ideas.

Before we finish this lesson, let's summarise what we've learned about designing a play space.

Public spaces are designed and created to serve specific functions.

Urban play spaces are structures made to be safe and fun for the children and families who use them.

And sketches, perspective drawings, and annotated designs can be used to communicate ideas clearly.

Thank you for joining me in this lesson today.

I hope to see you in the next one.

See you next time.