Lesson video

Hello everyone.

How are you today? I hope you're feeling great.

My name's Ms. Asal, and I'll be your art teacher for this lesson.

I'm looking forward to that because I love teaching this subject and also because today we are looking at architectural maquettes.

Wow.

I wonder if you know what these are.

If you've come across them before, don't worry if you have or you haven't.

We are gonna be going into them finding out all about them, exploring them, and guess what? Making our own.

Our lesson is called "Architectural Materials, Experimenting with Form," and it comes from the unit of work "Being Curious about Spatial Design and Architecture." So I hope you're curious and I hope you're ready and enthusiastic.

If you are let's begin.

The outcome for today's lesson is "I can create a maquette for a building design." We have some keywords in our lesson.

Let's go through them one at a time.

Sustainability, maquette, and form.

So what do these words mean? Sustainability is using resources in a way that can be maintained over a long period of time without depletion or harm to the environment or future generations.

Maquette, this is a small scale model that is used for planning and testing before a building is constructed.

And form, the three dimensional shape and structure of an object.

These are our keywords, sustainability, maquette, and form.

Let's look out and listen out for them.

They'll be coming up in our lesson today.

Today's lesson is called "Architectural Materials, Experimenting with Form," and it has two learning cycles: Learning about building materials and constructing your own architectural maquette.

I'm excited about that.

Let's begin with learning about building materials.

And let's take a little glimpse into the future at what some practical outcomes for this lesson might look like.

Wow, some really, really interesting maquettes there.

Stay tuned.

We are gonna be creating some of our own.

So take a look at these buildings, which materials have been used in these buildings? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

Buildings can be constructed using a range of different building materials.

Let's see what Aisha and Alex have to say.

"This is a traditional stone building." Wonder if that's what you came up with.

And Alex, "This is a modern building made of glass and steel." I wonder if you thought of those materials.

Think about where you live, what different types of building materials are used in your area? So pause here and share with someone.

The building materials that are used in your area.

Thanks for sharing.

Let's hear from Laura.

"My friend's gran lives in a brick bungalow.

She has a stained glass window in her front door.

The sports centre has large glass panels and wooden shutters." All right, so we've got brick, stained glass, glass panels and wooden shutters going on there.

And Izzy, "My mum works in a museum.

The walls are made of cob, which is a mixture of soil, water, and straw that has been squashed together and left to dry.

It is a very old building." And Jun, "My friend, lives in a tall block of flats.

It has a concrete staircase with a steel framework.

Each flat has a balcony made from steel and wooden panels." Such a range of building materials.

And I wonder which materials you noticed in your local area.

Let's have a check for understanding.

True or false.

All buildings are made from bricks and slates.

Pause here and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected "false." And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this, "Architects might choose traditional materials like brick and slates, but increasingly, they're trying to incorporate new, sustainable, modern materials into their building designs." Over time, the materials used to construct buildings has changed and evolved.

Wood is a traditional building material.

It's widely available, easily shaped, and potentially sustainable.

Stone is another traditional material.

It can be carved into different shapes and forms. Bricks are widely used globally.

Their small regular shape allows for endless combinations and forms. And bamboo is used in parts of the world where it is grown.

It is strong, flexible, and sustainable.

Pause the video and share with someone.

Have you seen a building made of bricks or one made of bamboo? Thanks for sharing.

The introduction of steel as a building material allowed our cities to expand upwards.

Steel is used to reinforce tall buildings and can be manipulated to create unique forms. Glass is also a common material used in modern buildings.

Steel is often used to connect glass elements.

And we can see a range of buildings there that have been made with glass.

Pause a video and share with someone.

Which buildings can you see in this photograph, which have been using steel and glass? Thanks for sharing.

We can see the building on the left and also the buildings at the front, but not the building on the right.

Modern materials can be used by architects to create buildings that have unusual forms. Examples include Shaun Killa designed the Museum of the Future in Dubai.

He used 3D mapping to create windows that look like Arabic calligraphy on the outside of the oval shaped building.

Mariam Kamara uses a traditional building technique of raw earth bricks.

In her design for Niamey Cultural Centre in Niger, four of the buildings will have distinctive tall semi-circular towers.

Moon Hoon designed The Busan Times building in South Korea.

He used concrete to create a four story housing block that looks like an owl.

So we can see modern materials have been used by architects to create buildings that have unusual forms. Can you think of any buildings with unusual forms in your local area? Pause here and share with someone.

Thanks for sharing.

In my local area, there is an enormous office building, which is in the shape of a boat or a ship.

It's always wonderful to pass that building.

Why does a building need to be sustainable? Pause the video and share with someone.

What do you think? Let's hear from Aisha.

"A building needs to be sustainable to minimise its negative environmental impact.

So we use less of the world's resources." And here's Lucas.

"Buildings can promote healthier indoor environments with bigger windows to let in light and heat." And here's Alex, "A modern energy efficient building can reduce energy consumption, the carbon footprint, and running costs." I wonder if you came up with any ideas like these.

Let's take a look at some examples of architects who use materials in a sustainable way.

Julia Lohmann designed Hidaka Ohmu, a pavilion made of seaweed, rattan, and plywood.

Designed to encourage discussions about climate change, sustainability and ocean protection.

Shigeru Ban, designed Paper Log House, a temporary shelter for disaster relief.

Shelters are built using recyclable materials such as paper tubes, cardboard, and plywood.

And Katy Bryce works with lime and clay.

First, discovering the technique when restoring ancient buildings in Cornwall, she now uses these traditional methods in sustainable buildings.

So we can see there are a number of architects using materials in a sustainable and really inspiring way.

Izzy and Lucas are discussing sustainable architecture.

Here's Lucas, "Soil is the oldest building material.

It is available everywhere and is easy to shape into structures.

It will also return to the earth with ease." And Izzy, "Including a green roof can help against urban flooding, slowing the flow of water and providing a habitat for insects." A friend of mine has a green roof, and the funniest thing is that they have to go up onto the roof in the summer and mow the roof as the grass gets really tall.

"Straw bales offer excellent thermal insulation, trapping warm air and keeping a building warm.

They're made from leftover stalks, from grain harvest, making them very sustainable." Love hearing about the sustainable architecture.

Architects can choose materials and features to enable sustainable building designs.

This building uses recycled wood, large windows, solar panels, and a wind turbine.

What a great combination.

This building is made from old shipping containers that have been reused.

I love that.

A green roof is a roof that is covered in plants.

This helps the environment by aiding air quality, providing a habitat for insects, slowing the flow of rainwater and providing natural insulation to buildings.

Check for understanding.

Which are sustainable building materials? Is it A, concrete; B, bamboo; C; plastic, or D, recycled glass.

Pause video while you decide.

Well done if you selected bamboo and recycled glass.

And now it's time for your first task.

I would like you to list as many different types of building materials that you can think of.

Think about buildings where you live, and consider these questions.

What are they made of? Are the materials traditional? Are the materials sustainable? Are the materials recyclable or reusable? So pause here as you list as many different types of building materials that you can think of.

And consider the questions on the screen.

I'll see you when you're finished.

It's good to be back with you.

So how did you get on with this task listing as many different types of building materials that you can think of? Let's hear some ideas.

Traditional buildings are usually made of stone or brick with slate roofs.

Some buildings have solar panels and wind turbines.

This helps them to be sustainable and save money.

Some buildings are made from recycled plastic, reclaimed wood with a recycled cork floor.

Modern tall buildings use a steel framework and laminated panels, making them strong and light.

So many different types of building materials.

And now we're onto our next learning cycle.

Constructing your own architectural maquette.

Architects will often create a maquette.

A maquette is a small-scale model that is used for planning and testing a building design before construction.

Pause here, take a very good look at this image and share with someone your impressions of this maquette.

Thanks for sharing your impressions.

I'm quite blown away by the detail on this and just how well constructed it is.

Architects often use models to help them design their buildings.

For the architect, Anthony Gaudi, models were very important.

When designing the Sagrada Familia church, he used a chain model to design the complex structure.

Elsie Owusu uses computer modelling to visualise her ideas for buildings.

In Lagos House for Yinka Shonibare, she uses digital rendering to design a complex building that is beautiful, sustainable, and fully accessible for the artist as a wheelchair user.

A maquette is created by an architect to help visualise their ideas for a building, communicate their ideas to the client and planners, refine their ideas for the form and layout of the building.

Architects will use a range of different materials to create their maquette: card, wood, foam board, and plastic.

They will often use recycled materials too.

And who knows, maybe even cereal boxes.

Let's have a check for understanding what is a maquette for.

Is it A, to test how strong a building is; B, to control the temperature in a building; C, to show what a building will look like in a small model; or D, to work out how much a building will cost.

So pause here while you decide which of these statements best describes what a maquette is for.

Well done.

If you selected answer C.

Indeed a maquette is to show what a building will look like in a small model.

Sophia and Jacob have made maquettes to explore different ideas for the form of a building.

They've utilised recycled boxes, straws, and tape to create their maquettes.

Pause the video and share with someone your impression of these maquettes.

Thanks for sharing your impressions.

I think the designs are really incredible and I love the use of different materials to create these maquettes and the way that they've been joined together and constructed.

When developing maquettes, there are a range of ways to shape the different parts.

You could use the recycled elements as they are.

You could cut elements freehand using scissors.

Mark out shapes on the materials and cut them carefully.

Score and fold card, bend and curve card.

You can create an architectural maquette using everyday materials such as cardboard boxes, tubes and straws.

Cardboard is a versatile material which can be easily manipulated.

Pause, video, and share with someone how has the cardboard in this maquette been manipulated? Thanks for sharing your ideas.

Cardboard can be cut or folded to make the form that you need.

So we can see the cardboard being cut in the first image, in the middle, we can see a straw being cut.

And in the final image, we can see the card being curved.

You can try different arrangements of materials such as boxes and card to experiment with different forms when making a maquette.

Love this experimentation.

When securing the maquettes, there are a range of ways to attach the different parts.

Glue and tape are a good way to attach separate elements.

So you could use a gluestick, PVA glue, or tape.

Let's have a check for understanding, true or false.

An architectural maquette must be made from foam board.

Pause the video and decide if this is true or false.

Well done if you selected "false." And now I'd like you to say a little more about your answer.

Pause here while you do this.

Perhaps you said something like this, "A maquette can be made from foam board, but it can also be made from card, wood, plastics, and various recycled materials.

Its purpose is to show the form of a building on a small scale." And now it's time for your next task.

I would like you to develop ideas for your architectural maquette.

So first of all, select the type of building that you would like to design.

Choose from the following or develop your own idea.

You could design a primary school or hospital, a block of flats, a museum or gallery.

And next, consider your building's purpose and select three keywords that reflect your design aim.

So pause here while you have a go at this part of your task.

Well done for developing ideas for your architectural maquette.

You may have said something like this, "I chose to design a primary school for my building so the purpose of the building is to create a safe and stimulating environment for learning.

I chose the words fun, safe, and playful to inspire my design." And now I'd like you to experiment with different ideas for the form of your building.

You should combine old boxes and tubes together to explore different forms for your building.

Create four to six different maquettes.

Think about scale and height.

Try to notice which maquettes have a high visual impact.

You could photograph each maquette to keep a record.

So pause here while you have a go at this part of your task, experimenting with different ideas for the form of your building.

I'll see you when you're finished.

So how did you get on with experimenting with different ideas for the form of your building? Your maquette may have looked like this.

So wonderful.

Let's hear from Andeep.

"Sophia created this maquette for a primary school.

I think the pillars would be fun to walk between, and the canopy creates shelter for the students.

The form balance is curved and straight lines." Some really lovely ideas there.

And here's Sam, "Jacobs maquette for a gallery looks really modern.

Structural pillars at the front are almost futuristic.

And remind me of a rocket." Yes, so wonderful.

And imagine it would be a nice space for people to gather, to meet, or even for some outdoor artworks to be displayed around those pillars.

And now I'd like you to secure the form of your building.

Consider your various experiments with different forms and secure your chosen design by attaching the different pieces together.

Think about which form has the most visual impact.

So pause here while you have a go at this part of your task securing the form of your building.

I'll see you when you're finished.

It's great to be back with you.

How did you get on with securing the form of your building? Your maquette may have looked like this.

Here's Sofia, "I secured the form using mostly PVA glue.

My teacher helped me to use a hot glue gun for the pillars.

I scored the back of the cardboard canopy and created a slot to secure it in place." Some fantastic ideas, and I'm glad you are safely supported to use the hot glue gun.

And now I'd like you to paint the form of your building.

You might decide to paint your building in a colour such as white to create a uniform appearance.

Pause here while you have a go at painting the form of your building.

Great to be back with you.

How did you get on with painting the form of your building? Your maquette may have looked like this.

So wonderful.

And now I'd like you to reflect on your outcomes.

Use these questions to help you reflect on your work.

How would you describe the form of your maquette? What materials have you used to create your maquette? How well does the form of your maquette match your building's purpose? And how do you think your building design would fit into your local area? So pause here while you reflect on your outcomes by answering these questions.

Well done for reflecting on your outcomes.

Let's hear from Aisha.

"I've created height with the tall pillars.

This gives the form drama and would make a big impact.

I think it would be a very unusual and interesting building in my town.

The form suits the purpose of a modern gallery.

I used straws for the pillars, but they could be steel in a real building." In our lesson "Architectural Materials, Experimenting with Form," we've covered the following.

Buildings use a wide range of different materials from traditional bricks and slates, rammed earth and stone to modern steel and glass structures.

Architects are now using more sustainable materials like bamboo and recycled steel.

Architects use maquettes to show the form and design of a building on a small scale before it is built.

Maquettes can be made from different materials, from card and wood to sustainable recycled materials.

Well done everyone for joining in with this lesson.

It was great to experiment with form, to explore architectural materials and then of course to create your own maquettes.

I love these designs and your experimentation, and it was great to be with you in this lesson.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at another art lesson soon.

Until then, stay creative.