Project Partners: Llanilltud Faerdref Primary School, Pontyclub Primary School, Initiate Architecture, RIBA, WEPCo

Project Brief: The architecture profession and wider construction industry are currently highly inaccessible to large areas of the modern demographic. Children don’t get a say in the world around them, as the end users they should be allowed ownership over the space they use. Having their input could greatly improve satisfaction and therefore areas of learning.

By working with primary and secondary schools, interacting with students at an early age through design workshops and on site sessions, we can offer a view into the world of design, architecture and construction. With a specific focus on BAME and low income background groups, these workshops (tailored to the school’s needs) engage all students and show the many opportunities for future careers in the creative industries.

Through interactive talks, drawing + modelling sessions, measuring + mathematical surveying, the students get an increased understanding of the different routes into a construction and creative practice. Working from design concept through to hands on sessions with all levels including hard to reach kinaesthetic learners.

Our Services: Brief development, Educational Workshop Delivery.

In collaboration with Initiate Architecture, WEPCo and RIBA, we delivered a series of 6 workshops across two schools in Wales which explored ideas of place making, design and craft.

The workshops were all delivered to schools which will be undergoing development or rebuilding in the next few years and were aimed at engaging the children in design tasks which would generate ideas and ownership over their new schools.

The workshops were named Cynefin Cymru, which translates as ‘habitat Wales’ but can be interpreted not just as a place but more as a sense of belonging and routing in place.

The workshops explored what Cynefin meant to the students through the design and model making process and led to both schools creating models of their own towns and villages. Each student then made models of significant landmarks or their own houses and included the characteristics that defined their Cynefin.