Design for gods and goddesses as we explore mythology from an architect’s point of view.  We will build a temple for iconic gods such as Apollo and Athena and spaces for some lesser-known, key deities of architecture like Circle, the goddess of potions and herbs, Hermes the god of secrets and Janus the god of gates and portals, beginnings, transitions and time.

The philosophy behind all we do at Wicked Workshop is to mimic the studio culture of the architecture school and office - and bring that immersive experience to young people. Since this is a Flex class, students can participate during the days and times that work for them but will still be required to be an active participant in the process.  To foster a true architecture studio culture, learners will participate in an "Architect & Client" activity.  Each student will be paired with a classmate and be given the role of either the architect or the client.  "Architects" will present (at least) 3 images of their work in progress with a short, written explanation of the key features.  The "Client" will study the work, ask questions, provide one suggestion and one aspect of the work that they really like. We will do this through posts on our classroom page and all students will benefit from their personal role play as well as following the conversations of others. Don't worry - we'll guide you!

Each Flex class features a Project Video (20-30 Minutes), a Demonstration Video (10-20 minutes) and a Scavenger Hunt that will be available each Monday.  Here's what the workflow looks like:

Project 1: Build a Temple for Apollo, Athena or Poseidon
We start with the basics by introducing the key elements of temple architecture in Greece. We’ll talk about what it’s like to visit the Acropolis and how to spot modern design interventions in a place that’s thousands of years old. We’ll end with ideas and inspiration about how to design for gods and goddesses and learners will choose to build a temple for Apollo, Athena or Poseidon.

Project 2: Add a Spell Garden or Potion Room
With the basic temple design in place, we’re going to invite some friends to stay with us at the temple. We will start adding details and special places such as a spell garden or poison room for the Goddess Circle, the goddess of potions and herbs.

Project 3: Add a Wall of Secrets
What if Hermes, the messenger god and keeper of secrets took up residence in our temple?  He’s most definitely going to need a place to work. This week, we’re adding a Wall of Secrets to our temple based on a man named Frank Warren who set off on a small experiment a few years ago.  He handed out a bunch of postcards with his address on them and asked people to write down a secret they have never told anyone – then mail it to him.

Project 4: Build a Monumental Portal
Our last project will be to add a monumental portal as an entrance to our temple for our good friend Janus, the god of passages, doors, gates, beginnings and transitions.  We’ll talk about how and why this is an important architectural idea and tour all sorts of portals – from simple household entryways to amazing works of art built from paper.

What Else Should I Know?
These classes are designed to be explored over 2-3 hours and potentially 2-3 days depending on your learner's age, crafting abilities, interest in the subject and personal attention span.  Some kiddos will dive right in and finish in an afternoon while others might take lots of breaks and work on one project over a whole week. The projects are all very flexible and designed for multiple ages.  Older kiddos will add more details and take longer to craft more precisely while younger learners might make bigger moves and embellish verbally rather than through making.