Year 8 - 3D world

About the unit

This unit aims to introduce pupils to the interesting world of architecture. Pupils will
learn how architecture influences daily life, the key to good architecture, understand
the use of design inside and outside a building such as symmetry, asymmetry and
scale, material, texture and colour etc. The use of ICT will allow pupils to develop a 3D
image of a building. Pupils will learn the architectural techniques to design floor plans
and section drawings to scale. The pupils will be assessed based on a practical project
requiring them to produce a scale model of an internet caf. Success will be based on
the use of architectural principles learnt over the duration of the course. Assessment
will take the form of a web cam, which will allow pupils to take the class on a tour of
their design.
Duration of the unit
18 single lessons.

Classroom Activities
Timing /
Lesson
No.

Learning Objectives

Introduce pupils to
topic of architecture.
The effect
of/importance of
architecture

What makes
architecture good?

How to evaluate the

exterior of a building.

Possible Teaching Activities

Learning Outcomes

Starter photos of architecture placed around the

room, pupils to decide if picture is architecture.
Introduce project.
Pupils introduced to question -When is a building just
a building and when is it art? Discuss how
architecture shapes the environment and why is it
important? Office example light vs dark = mood,
Egypts pyramids show their belief in immortality,
theyre closer to heaven.
Redesign the classroom for primary, secondary and
university use.

Pupils will understand

what is required of
them.

Introduce Ancient Roman Architect Vitruvius formula.

Function, structure, beauty.
Students to evaluate their previous classroom
designs based on Vitruvius three principles.
Inform how beauty changes over time e.g. Kennedy
centre. Stonehenge and Parthenon admired for
monumentality even though theyre 1000s of years
old.
Symmetry creates harmony eg Palladio.
Asymmetry creates movement and surprise eg Mies
van der Rohe.
Scale in relation to surroundings. Imposing or
intimate. Tells us if its too n=big or too small. This
rule can be broken eg Staatsgalerie emphasises
movement with coloured handrails.

Pupils know what

makes architecture
successful.

Know what architecture

is.
Understand
architecture deals with
the need of the user.

Pupils will be able to

evaluate how
symmetry, asymmetry,
scale and weight and
mass effect architecture
in order to complete
their homework

How to evaluate
elements of design.

Weight and mass stone/ brick = permanent and

strength eg castles. Smooth and transparent = light
and more delicate eg Le Corbusier (glass buildings
seemed to float)
Task pupils showed a range of buildings, evaluate
them based on criteria given.
Home Learning Task (over period of course) take/get
pictures of local buildings and evaluate them based
on Vitruviuss principles and symmetry, asymmetry,
scale and weight and mass. Displayed as a mood
board.
Texture and colour differentiate parts of a building.
Emphasise structural roles of space eg public space
will be brighter than private rooms. Can make areas
seem heavier, lighter, smaller, larger, warmer or
cooler. Associated with regional traditions,
Mediterranean houses painted yellow, orange, white.
Scandinavia clad in red painted wood.
Ornament decorative. Classical temples had
sculptures, gothic cathedrals had gargoyles. Also,
instructive roman Christian churches used murals to
depict parishioners how to act. C20th decoration
became irrelevant, 1980s Charles Moore and Michael
Graves reintroduced decoration. Present day takes
form of electronic signs, video monitors, kinetic
changeable images (Times Square)
Light & sound effects mood. Natural bright light
removes shadows, dim light calls attention to areas
eg pantheon. Artificial light fixtures can produce
warm glows or glare eg light shinning through large
glass walls at night can make the architecture
disappear. Sound enhances the experience of space.
Sight & Context rural is all about the location and

assignment.

Pupils understand the

importance of the
interior design of a
building.

must consider the contours and natural features of

the land eg fallingwater house by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Urban is all about the context and looks at the
existing structures around the building so the design
is based on the scale and material of neighbouring
structures.
What does the term sustainable development mean?

Consider
environmental issues in Students to consider the environmental impact of the
the production and use renewable they are studying.
of renewable materials
Video about cotton production and fair trade. See
www.fairtrade.org.uk -Sir Steve Redgrave clip.
Students to write a report on the environmental
impact of the renewable they are studying.
Alternatively they could study a different renewable.

Under-standing the
terms sustainable
development, fair
trade, biodegradable.
Report on the environmental impact of a
specific renewable
textile product.

Balanced information on the use of pesticides can be

found at www.pesticideinformation.eu
There is an interesting discussion on the meaning of
sustainable in relation to cotton production at
www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_4411
3.htm

6&7

Pupils use ICT to create

a virtual property that
meets a clients needs.

Students to report back their findings.

Architect studio 3D.
http://www.architectstudio3d.org/AS3d/index.html
Pupils to get accustomed to programme, by the end
of lesson 6, pupils will have created a floor plan and
3D virtual model of a building that answers clients
specifications.

Pupils introduced to use

of floor plans and
knowledge of Architect
Studio.

Pupils introduced to
models and plans.

Pupil are taught how to draw a floor plan that

considers room layout, walls, windows and doors for
each level of a building.

Pupils introduced to
models and plans.

Pupils are taught how to draw to scale, and to start

designing their main project of an internet caf.

Pupils use all of their

knowledge to
architecture to create
their 3D world

Pupils undertake practical activities in order to create

a realistic model of their 3D world to scale.
Teacher demonstrations regarding safe use of tools
and other health and safety considerations whilst
carrying out practical work in a workshop.

Pupils to evaluate their

finished product.

As a classroom critique each student will evaluate

their peers work based on the three principles and
elements of design.

10 - 17

18

Web cams will be used to take a tour of the model in

order to evaluate scale and level of detail.

Learn correct modelling

techniques.
Produce a professional,
to scale, model that
incorporates
architectural elements.
Pupils learn a valuable
lesson about evaluating
their own work as well
as their peers.
Pupils learn more about
their strengths and
weaknesses, allowing
them to focus on
developing these skills
for future projects.

KS3 Curriculum Coverage

Designing
use given design briefs, and where
appropriate, develop their own to clarify
their
ideas for products

Food
use a broad range of skills, techniques
and
equipment, as well as standard recipes,
to
cook meals and products

Textiles / RM
learn about the properties and
characteristics of materials and apply
this knowledge and
understanding when designing and
making products

identify and use appropriate sources of

information to help generate and
develop
their ideas for products

plan and carry out a broad range of

practical
cooking tasks safely and hygienically

undertake materials testing, to

determine
suitability for intended use

be creative and innovative in their

thinking
when generating ideas for their products

apply current healthy eating messages

in relation to the nutritional needs of
different groups in society and consider
issues of sustainability in order to make
informed choices when planning,
preparing and cooking meals or products
classify food by commodity/group and
understand the characteristics of a broad
range of ingredients, including their
nutritional, functional and sensory
properties

combine and process materials in

order to
create enhanced properties and
desired
aesthetic characteristics

build electronic components into control

systems within products

understand that loads can cause

material
failures in structures by bending,
twisting and
stretching
be aware of current developments in
materials technology, e.g. smart
materials
consider issues of sustainability when
choosing and using materials

understand feedback in control systems

identify and apply knowledge and

understanding about technological,
sustainability and health and safety
issues to develop ideas for products that
are achievable and practical
develop a specification/recipe for their
product
explore, develop and communicate
design ideas in a range of ways,
including annotation, drawings and
CAD, e.g. clip art libraries, internet
resources, scanners, digital cameras
model and refine their design ideas in 3D form or food prototyping where
appropriate
evaluate, refine and modify their design
ideas as they develop in relation to

Systems
learn about the properties and
characteristics of electrical/electronic and
mechanical components and apply this
knowledge and understanding when
designing and making
products
interconnect mechanisms to achieve
different kinds of movement in products

design and interconnect systems and subsystems for application in products

build microprocessor and computer
control systems into products.

Making (General)
develop the skills to select and work with
a
range of materials and ingredients to
make
products in a variety of contexts
use hand and machine tools/utensils,
and a range of equipment and
processes, to
mix, shape, form and join materials and
ingredients
be creative in finding alternative ways of
making if the first attempt is not
achievable

develop techniques to ensure

consistency and accuracy including the
use of CAM, e.g. CAM software linked to
a cutter/plotter, lathe, milling machine or
sewing machine

aesthetics, sensory requirements,

healthy lifestyle,
function, safety, reliability, properties of
materials, ingredients, components,
sustainability and cost
evaluate their final design ideas against
their initial specification/recipe.
test and evaluate their product against
their original specification/recipe