Architecture Career Discovery Camp
In this 4-week (2 per week) architecture camp with a friendly university professor, students curious about becoming an architect will get an intensive-yet-exhilarating taste of what architecture school and a career in architecture is like.
Amber D Nelson
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(65)
What's included
8 live meetings
12 in-class hoursHomework
4+ hours per week. Learners will be expected to complete work related to the topic and skill learned in the week and present it at the beginning of the next class. (However, if learner/parent prefers to participate passively by attending class only, that is also ok upon communication with Amber). Assignments are all visual representations of their design, and may take as little as 1 hour, but could take several evenings if the student is inspired to "run with it." Architecture is a great alternative to TV and social media. ;) PLEASE NOTE: this class is simulating a college-level course, so it is best for mature learners who can handle complex instructions, fast-paced learning and are able to time-manage homework assignments. If a learner falls behind, the videos and provided slideshows will help them catch up. That said, I'm very available to questions outside of class time, and as long as the learner puts in effort, they will do great in the class and learn a lot.Assessment
Assessment is via weekly peer and teacher reviews. There is a final review on the last day of class in which the "Clients" (family) are invited to attend (off-screen). Progress is measured simply by staying current with the homework and putting effort into it. It is easy to know when a student has rushed through their designs as opposed to carefully composed them. Personal satisfaction of the learner's work is also directly related to the amount of effort put in. If your learner is taking this for class credit, please contact me before the class begins to give me the details and I'd be happy to give them a grade according to the rubric you need.Grading
Grades on number or letter scale can be offered for overall performance by request.Class Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Beginner - Intermediate Level
In this course, learners can discover what architecture school is REALLY like. This intensive immersion format will help them test out the fast-paced learning and heavy course-load that architecture school is known for. This means that if they thrive in this course, they are also highly likely to succeed at the University level. No prior knowledge of architecture or drawing needed! **Class Structure** Meetings are 90 minutes long, but time will fly! Normally in architecture school, classes last for 4 hours. •30 min student presentation of previous class work- Each student will talk for a minute about their work, present it to other students, and we will discuss it briefly before moving on to the other students. •30 min teacher presentation of new material- Each week we will focus on a new skill, including sketching, drawing plans and sections to scale, model making, and even 3D computer models! •30 min hands-on activities to practice the skill- We call this time "open studio," where the student begins their assignment for the following week, but I will rotate through the students asking them questions about their design ideas and answering any of their questions. **Daily topics and skills** •DAY 1- TOPIC: Introduction to this course and architecture as a profession. The design process step 1. Site study. SKILL: sketching the world around us •DAY 2- TOPIC: Beloved childhood places. The design process step 2. precedent study SKILL: sketching our memories •DAY 3- TOPIC: Solving problems with design. The design process step 3. conceptual design SKILL: diagrams and program •DAY 4- TOPIC: Reading architectural drawings. The design process step 4. schematic design SKILL: drawing elevations, plans and sections of everyday objects, •DAY 5- TOPIC: The human scale. The design process step 5. dimension drawings SKILL: drawing elevations, plans and sections of your own design •DAY 6- TOPIC: Materials. The design process step 6. 3-dimensions SKILL: scaled model •DAY 7- TOPIC: Construction. The design process step 7. Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD) SKILL: CAD model •DAY 8- TOPIC: The architect's responsibility. The design process step 8. Presenting your work to clients (aka your family) SKILL: Final design review and closing comments. Celebration!
Learning Goals
**Goals of the class**
•To simulate an architecture "studio" class in college.
•To get a taste of what an architect does in his/her career.
•To learn the basic tools that architects use during school and to do their job.
•To acquire skills on how to take an idea out of your head and into the real world to solve a problem!
•To have fun while learning some critical tips about time management (just in time for college).
Please see above in the "Class Experience" section for topics and skills students will learn each week.
Syllabus
8 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
Design Process Step 1
TOPIC: Introduction to this course and architecture as a profession. Site study.
SKILL: Interviewing clients & Sketching 90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Design Process Step 2
TOPIC: Beloved childhood places, precedent study
SKILL: sketching our memories 90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Design Process Step 3
TOPIC: Solving problems with design, conceptual design
SKILL: diagrams and program 90 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Design Process Step 4
TOPIC: schematic design
SKILL: Understanding and drawing plans of your design 90 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
I've designed this class to be a simulation of a real-life, client-architect situation, in which the family will serve as clients (the encouraging, supportive kind). On the final day of the class parental participation is welcome and encouraged (off-screen, per Outschool policy), as your learner will need to present to you the design they have created to solve a problem you have presented them. Additionally, we'll need different supplies each day and so it will be helpful if you are checking in regularly to the posts to see what materials you will need for the next class.
Supply List
A comprehensive materials list is posted with the other class resources (or by navigating to https://cutt.ly/Architecture_Discovery_Materials ). Assuming that many of the supplies you will already have at home, the rest should cost around $45-60 and are available at any craft store or online at Amazon. In the above link, there are Amazon links to each material.
Language of Instruction
English
Joined April, 2020
4.9
65reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from University of California - Berkeley
Bachelor's Degree in Music or Theatre or Arts from Columbia University in the City of New York
When I was 16, I took a similar architecture career discovery course that cemented my conviction to study architecture. Now I'd like to return the favor! During my architectural studies at Columbia University and UC Berkeley, as well as afterwards, I was fortunate to teach many design courses, ranging from visual representation, construction, and environmental design, to sacred landscapes and design studios. I have also taught over 10 courses online.Reviews
Live Group Course
$260
for 8 classes2x per week, 4 weeks
90 min
Completed by 81 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-17
6-18 learners per class
