Sorry, I haven’t been posting. Was teaching my DIY Like an Architect workshop at Art Center last two weekends. Besides, this project in NY is keeping me very busy. Performing construction supervision remotely — discussing every little detail with the contractor over the phone in addition to emailing a lot of drawings and instructions. Most of the design details I am generating right now were not required for the submission to the Building Department. Plan Examiners are concerned with public safety, not aesthetics.
Second installment of the workshop felt like the fastest three hours ever! In awe with the participants’ commitment, I admired and respected their passion for learning — the way they were striving to stretch their comfort zone — developing, acquiring knowledge and expanding existing skills. It made me think of life as work-in-progress.
Although nervous and uncomfortable promoting my own system, I’m compelled to recommend it. I teach a strategy of organizing thoughts aimed at generating a parti, a launch pad for an architectural design. The process is quite simple; it’s outlined in my how-to ebook DIY Like an Architect: 11-step method.
Every time I teach DIY Like an Architect workshop through ArtCenter’s ACX, a sense of doing something meaningful gives me a jolt. Being able to assist with the process of generating ideas is uplifting. It’s so inspiring to come in contact with men and women who’d give up their Sunday to uncover new facets of themselves. I want to learn from them, actually.
Establishing Children’s Architecture Workshop in 1995 meant embarking on a journey that shaped the course of my life as well as career. A young mother and a newly licensed architect, I aspired to make an impact and become a better parent in the process. Years of hands-on teaching architecture experience enabled me to invent the 11-step method supporting anyone tackling a building project from scratch.
Architecture class at ArtCenter’s Saturday High: last week. My creative teens have practically learned everything about how to think like an architect. We've come full-circle and are practicing how to masterplan through mind mapping and collaging. It's the final step in DIY Like an Architect: 11-step method.
Architecture class at ArtCenter’s Saturday High: week seven. My creative teens are mastering the concept of uniting parts with a whole as they learn how to think like an architect while we work our way through the steps of DIY Like an Architect: 11-step method.
Architecture class at ArtCenter’s Saturday High: week five. Last week my creative teens started scaled drawings — step 8 in the DIY Like an Architect: 11-step method. Some of the kids are eager to build already; they are moving right along to step 9, a scaled model.
Architecture class at ArtCenter’s Saturday High: week four. My creative teens are practicing how to think like an architect — ready to tackle step 8 of DIY Like an Architect: 11-step method — zeroing in on a floor plan.
Architecture class at ArtCenter’s Saturday High: week three. We are working on understanding scale and proportion. First two sessions were devoted to initial brainstorming steps of DIY Like an Architect: 11-step method. Today my creative teens are sharing the insights — building presentation skills is one of the objectives.