Are places always what they seem? How closely do our perceptions of an urban environment match the reality of actually living there?
Nottingham Maid Marian Way © Stephen McLaren
Sixth-form geographers at The Royal Grammar School, Guildford, tackled these issues through the fairly complex concepts of firstspace, secondspace and thirdspace in cities (see Groundbreaking geography to find out more). Younger students could do the same through a simpler approach, learning to see under the skin of towns and cities by taking a closer look at life in places both close to home and further afield.
We have collated a list of activities, organisations and resources that you can use to give your students opportunities to explore perception and reality in the built environment.
Subjects: geography, citizenship.
Cross-curriculum dimensions: global dimension and sustainable development, cultural diversity and identity.
Initiatives: Learning Outside the Classroom, PLTS (independent enquirers, reflective learners, creative thinkers).
Teaching activities
Home from home
Introduce students to the idea of the difference between the perception and reality of places through your own neighbourhood.
Talk with the class about what they think of your local town or city. Can they describe its architecture, roads and open spaces? Now show them leaflets and tourist guides. What image do they think the town is trying to present? How is it marketing itself to visitors? Does it want to be seen as quaint and pretty? Modern and lively? Arty? Sporty? Historical?
Finally, talk with them about the reality of growing up in the town or city. Does their experience match the picture presented to visitors? Do they think that the way their home town wants to be perceived affects their everyday life? Can they write a ‘real’ guide for someone intending to move to the area – warts and all?
Accordia, Cambridge © David Millington Photography Ltd
Post-modern perspectives
Ask the students to research post-modernism in architecture. When did it originate? Why did it come about? What are typical features of post-modern buildings?
The Portland Building in Oregon, USA, was hailed as a post-modern landmark when it was built in 1980. There are deep colours on the walls, a garland of blue ribbons on one side and a huge statue of a woman in the main entrance. Yet despite its iconic status, the building has been panned by the government workers who use it. Cracks have appeared, offices are gloomy and cramped, and employees call in sick more often than those working in other buildings.
Talk with the students about the relationship between form and function in buildngs. Which do they think is more important? Should a building’s design reflect its purpose?
You could focus on the Manchester Civil Justice Centre as an example of post-modern architecture in the UK.
Unpacking holiday resorts
Some of the world’s poorest countries are also home to opulent holiday resorts where the world’s richest people unwind.
Ask the students to research luxury holidays in travel brochures and on the internet and to choose a destination in Africa, Asia or South America. Then ask them to carry out more research to find out what everyday life is like for people who actually live in the area. Can they write a description comparing a day in the life of a holidaymaker and a local?
Use this as the starting point for a class debate about the ethics of tourism. What are the costs and benefits of tourism to places like these? Would the students feel comfortable staying in luxury if they knew about underlying poverty?
Visit the Tourism Concern website to find out more about some of the issues involved.
Buri Beach resort Puerto Galera © dboy, flickr.com
Laying the foundations
Governments want to create landmark, statement places when the eyes of the world are on their country for an event like the Olympic Games or the World Cup. But at what cost to local people?
The development of the Olympic Park for London 2012 is having a huge impact on East London. Ask the students to research what changes are underway. How much land is affected? What was it used for before?
Talk with the students about how the changes are affecting the local community and their likely impact in the future – both positive and negative. You could compare the redevelopment with preparations for the World Cup in South Africa in 2010, where thousands of people have been evicted from their homes under ‘beautification’ and redevelopment schemes.
Read about Legacy Now, an initiative to ensure that the Olympic Park has a positive long-term effect on the people of London.
Dream home?
Many homes around the UK are pretending to be something they’re not. Walk down suburban streets and you’re likely to see mock Tudor beams, imitation Georgian doorways, even neoclassical pillars…
Talk with the students about why people like living in buildings that are pretending to be from another place or time. As an example, show your students the website for The Hamptons in south London – a housing estate designed to ‘feel like a different world’, with New England-style picket fences, clapboard buildings, fountains and neatly mown lawns. Why do people want to live somewhere like this? And why do developers think people would like to live to here? What has influenced both parties vision of the perfect home?
Ask the students to draw or write about their ideal housing development. What ideas and values inspire it?
As another example, introduce your students to the Hockerton Housing Project – a housing development built on sustainable principles.
Hockerton Housing Project © HHP Trading Ltd
Helpful organisations and venues
Geographical Association
The – an inspiring source of up-to-date information and advice for projects focusing on place. A fantastic range of resources on offer including, Places people want CPD course, KS3 toolkit – Is the Olympics the best way to regenerate East London? And the Discovering cities series.
Tourist Information Centres
To help your students explore the way your town or city markets itself, visit your local tourist information centre and collect leaflets and guide books. The Information Britain website gives contact details for centres around the country.
Local architecture and built environment centres
There are 23 around the UK. Contact the one nearest you to see how it can help you discover examples of interesting architecture and housing design in your area.
Responsible Travel
Responsible Travel was the first travel agent dedicated to offering holidays that are better for local communities. Visit its website to help students find out more about the issues involved in ethical tourism.
Institute of Education, University of London
Offers PGCE, MA and Doctoral programmes in geography education. Ideal for all teachers of geography to update their subject knowledge.
London Eye © Alys Tomlinson
Teaching resources
Images of buildings website
An of modern and post-modern buildings from around Britain. Use the images to develop students’ understanding of the quirks and qualities of post-modernism.
RIBApix online database
A user-friendly, online image library with good quality images of contemporary architecture, including examples of post-modern buildings. The pictures are free to download for educational use.
London 2012 website
Visit the official site of the London 2012 Olympic Games for the latest news on the development of the Olympic Park site in East London.
Faster, higher, stronger – is the Olympics the best way to regenerate East London?
A resource from the Geographical Association that gets students thinking in more depth about the impact of rapid transformation of places for an event like the Olympic Games.
The Estate
is an Architecture Week resource consisting of 15 photographic portraits of diverse people living in identical inner-city high-rise homes. You could use the photographs to introduce students to the concept that the reality of living in the same building isn’t the same experience for everyone.
Go back to The Royal Grammar School case study.
