Armed with rolls of vellum paper, floor plans and cardboard, SHS architecture students work to design and build structures that are both beautiful and functional. Matt Xie, 12, and Sam Kwon, 12, are two current members of the class, and they gave The Leaf an inside look into what goes on behind the scenes.
The structure of the class begins during the first quarter with group projects, beginning with floor plans of restrooms and bedrooms, and eventually moving onto designing living room spaces. Students then learn how to draw on graph paper, adding elements like windows, doors and walls, Kwon explained.
When a student has mastered the basics, they can start on their Scholastics project, which encapsulates the bulk of the first semester. The project is a one to two story house, with an 1800 square foot requirement. For the project, the artist chooses their own style to emulate, such as modern or Victorian. After creating the floor plan, students then transfer it over to vellum paper, a thin, specialized paper for architectural models. On this paper, students work to convey all angles and aspects of the structure, including depth.
After careful planning, artists then create their model out of materials like cardboard and foam board, making sure that the building is fully detachable.
During the second semester, the class shifts to instruction about life skills. For example, they recently focused on electrical circuits, learning how to strip wires and complete many important electrical projects needed in a home.
Currently, the class is working on a project in collaboration with the Greene School. The school has a lot of unused land that needs to be utilized, so architecture students have been given the opportunity to come up with designs and submit them for consideration as solutions to fill the land.
“Sam and I are together, and we’re building an atrium that utilities the hills that Greene already has as places for terraces or seating. We’re using the environment to create our design, helping us save costs,” Xie said
Last year, the class also got to go to Symmes Elementary and visit the fourth grade students there to help build historical buildings and monuments. All the elementary and high school students were paired up to recreate different iconic Cincinnati buildings, like Findley Market.
Throughout the entirety of the course, both students learned more about their passions in the field. “I think there is a certain enjoyment in being able to design something and having the creation, and then being able to create it in 3-D and see it in front of you,” Kwon explained, “there’s a certain thrill.”
The SHS architecture class is one that will likely continue to inspire future generations of artists for years to come, providing a clear path to transforming unique ideas into tangible structures.
