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SmallerMUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State University students are teaching kindergartners that the fundamentals of architecture are more than just building with Legos and Lincoln Logs.
On March 6, members of the Ball State chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) will visit Pla-N-Stuff, a daycare in Muncie. The purpose of their trip is to introduce children to the profession of architecture and to inspire an appreciation for quality design, said Jason Barisano, AIAS chapter president.
During their first visit in February, the architecture students asked the children to think about their favorite place or space. The youngsters were then given a variety of scrap materials to build a model of that cherished locale.
"You can be more creative by using your imagination and finding your own materials rather than building with Legos, K'nex or Lincoln Logs," Barisano said. "Those toys are great for building, but they are very modular and limit designers to certain sizes and certain pieces."
Architecture students helped the kindergartners construct their models, present their creations and explain their design concepts.
"Explaining the concepts for my own designs is easy," Barisano said. "But it is a challenge to help a 6-year-old explain what inspired him and what he is trying to achieve with his design."
The program, which combines community outreach and early career development, is something the students decided to do on their own, said Tony Costello, architecture professor and chapter advisor.
"The program extends the notion of Ball State providing a service to the community," Costello said. "Secondly, it introduces kids to our profession, and gets them planning on what they want to do with their futures."
The students will visit the school three to five times before the end of May. By visiting the same school, the Ball State students hope to see progress and eventually teach the kindergartners more complex concepts, Barisano said.
During the next visit, Barisano will introduce a more challenging project that will focus on a specific design. The kindergartners learned quickly and are ready for more advanced work, Barisano said.
"They were so excited from the moment we first arrived," Barisano said. "They were all so proud to show off their models and somewhat competitive in wanting their models to be the best. I wish there would have been a program like this when I was a kid."
(Note to Editors: For more information on the program or the March 6 visit to Pla-N-Stuff, contact Costello at (765) 285-5868 or ajcostello@bsu.edu. For more stories, visit the Ball State University News Center at www.bsu.edu/news.)
By Layne Cameron, Media Relations ManagerOn March 6, members of the Ball State chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) will visit Pla-N-Stuff, a daycare in Muncie. The purpose of their trip is to introduce children to the profession of architecture and to inspire an appreciation for quality design, said Jason Barisano, AIAS chapter president.
During their first visit in February, the architecture students asked the children to think about their favorite place or space. The youngsters were then given a variety of scrap materials to build a model of that cherished locale.
"You can be more creative by using your imagination and finding your own materials rather than building with Legos, K'nex or Lincoln Logs," Barisano said. "Those toys are great for building, but they are very modular and limit designers to certain sizes and certain pieces."
Architecture students helped the kindergartners construct their models, present their creations and explain their design concepts.
"Explaining the concepts for my own designs is easy," Barisano said. "But it is a challenge to help a 6-year-old explain what inspired him and what he is trying to achieve with his design."
The program, which combines community outreach and early career development, is something the students decided to do on their own, said Tony Costello, architecture professor and chapter advisor.
"The program extends the notion of Ball State providing a service to the community," Costello said. "Secondly, it introduces kids to our profession, and gets them planning on what they want to do with their futures."
The students will visit the school three to five times before the end of May. By visiting the same school, the Ball State students hope to see progress and eventually teach the kindergartners more complex concepts, Barisano said.
During the next visit, Barisano will introduce a more challenging project that will focus on a specific design. The kindergartners learned quickly and are ready for more advanced work, Barisano said.
"They were so excited from the moment we first arrived," Barisano said. "They were all so proud to show off their models and somewhat competitive in wanting their models to be the best. I wish there would have been a program like this when I was a kid."
(Note to Editors: For more information on the program or the March 6 visit to Pla-N-Stuff, contact Costello at (765) 285-5868 or ajcostello@bsu.edu. For more stories, visit the Ball State University News Center at www.bsu.edu/news.)
