Occupation (noun):1. a person's job or profession
2. the act of possessing a place
Through the ‘Occupation’ project, students explored the following question: How could the job we do dictate how we use and possess a place?
Model created by Haringey Sixth Form © Benjamin Green
Each student chose an occupation to explore. They researched the characteristics of their chosen occupation, and then pushed their ideas for the design of a perfect space for that profession as far as they possibly could. The final outcome was a room designed specifically for their chosen occupant.
Students started the project by exploring the job of an architect together. The group visited an architectural practice, and developed the general ideas and approaches they could then apply to their chosen occupation.
Key stage
Key stage 5
Curriculum links
- art and design
- work-related learning
Learning objectives
The project aimed to:
- be open to interpretation by the individual students – allowing for differentiation of interests and abilities
- encourage a broad range of traditional and digital skills in making a range of design work – from small scale models and large drawings through to digital image manipulation and video editing
- produce a body of exciting, challenging and varied work highly suitable for the student's portfolio for university application
- capture the interests of students in the potential of the built environment, not through what already exists, but through fiction and fantasy
- be offered to Edexcel as an exemplar project for other teachers’ use
This project also covered specific learning objectives of the Edexcel programme of study, including:
- unit 2 - materials, techniques and processes in art and design
- unit 3 - ideas and concepts in art and design
Length of project
Dec 09 – March 10
3D cardboard model produced by Haringey Sixth Form students © Benjamin Green
What did the learning involve?
Main teaching and learning activities.
Activity 1
The project began by looking at the occupation of an architect. Students began their research by bringing in an object that they no longer have any use for. They used this object to explore the architectural conventions of plan, section and elevation.
Activity 2
Following this, students produced large A0 drawings/montages exploring the architectural potential of their object at three scales: a small room, a house and a large museum or shopping mall.
Activity 3
A visit to FAT’s office (Fashion Architecture Taste), organised through and RIBA London, gave the students a chance to explore the role of the architect more directly. The trip included a tour of the office, a presentation and a Q&A session. The students responded well to FAT’s ideas. On the way back to college they went to visit one of FAT’s buildings, the Blue House off Hackney Road.
Activity 4
Next, students chose an occupation to explore. They were asked to write a detailed description of the person they would be designing the room for, to give their ideas a clear focus and to give their project a narrative dimension. Having chosen an occupation to explore, students began developing their ideas - experimenting by constructing small maquettes and documenting them in photographs and drawings.
Activity 5
The students designed the rooms for their chosen occupants. The final designs were the result of all their experiments and explored the narratives suggested by the work of these professions in great detail.
Resources / partners
Funding
£1,500 was received as a Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) educational grant.
Students on site visit to FAT architecture’s ‘Blue House’, Hackney © Benjamin Green
How well were the aims met?
- all students have produced some of their best work with their final models – incorporating their own particular interests (the area of art and design they wish to pursue further at HE) into the project.
- some students, who had found it difficult experimenting with different ideas and approaches in a previous 2D project, rose to the challenge and created far superior work.
- the visit to FAT provided an opportunity for the course leader to informally assess students’ confidence and ability in analysing and responding to creative work. The group were very interested and did not need prompts to ask detailed and intelligent questions.
- having the first year students producing some exciting small scale model-making was a stimulus for the second year students (those specialising in architecture and interior design) to get competitive! Instead of working small-scale they worked at 1:1 creating cardboard constructions tied with cable ties.
- a dialogue with Edexcel may follow the project’s completion, relating to how architectural projects can be set which assist in preparing BTEC students for architectural programmes at Higher Education level.
There were suggested improvements given by the students – mainly to do with having more time, more trips and incorporating 2D work as well.
Comments from teachers/students
‘I found that I was quite good at product design. Before this project I wouldn't have had much confidence in this.’ Student.
‘The project changed my idea about architecture because I used to think that architecture is only for buildings. Now I can see that every project uses a bit of architecture, like in fashion.’ Student.
‘I discovered architecture is more experimental and artistic, I thought they only stuck to one idea and developed it.’ Student.
‘I learnt that there is more than one way to design and create.’ Student.
‘The trip to FAT was really useful, meeting an architect and knowing how he works with the clients.’ Student.
‘I was hugely impressed by the efforts of the students, some of whom have never touched any 3D equipment before.’ Ben Green, Course leader.
2009/10 Education Grant case studies:
A Virtual School for Children in Care, Cornwall, builds its own straw bale shelter.
Ercall Wood Technology College, Telford, create a spiritual space at school.
Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children, London, create sculpture project.
Pewley Down Infant School, Guildford, create an out door ‘eco play house’.
St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School, Guildford, build an outdoor learning ‘den’.
Further information
Read about the 2008/09 grant winning projects.
