Sixth Graders Deliver Architectural Presentations

On April 11, sixth-grade GATE students at Eden Hall Upper Elementary School made their final presentations as part of the 10th Annual Architectural Apprenticeship program.

Fourteen student groups presented to mentor architects including Patrick Russell, Alex Smith, Thomas Wippenbeck and Rob Zoelle, and client stakeholders Janice Bagnato, Green Co., Penny Wippenbeck, Community Outreach, and Angelica Body, Blackbox Theater.

As part of the five-month project, students were tasked with transforming vacant land on the Eden Hall Upper Elementary School campus and returning to the original design of Eden Hall Farms with a new purpose of uniting students and community members. New construction was to replicate the history of Eden Hall Farms and build a community-friendly farmhouse adapted for contemporary needs in the 21st century.

Students worked under the supervision of Mrs. Sovek and Mrs. Kopach and had frequent check-in meetings with clients and architects to meet the expectations of the project. 

Students were asked to follow the design process of an architect: bubble diagrams, scale drawings, ¼” scale blueprint, section drawings, elevations and concept statements as they performed their job roles as LEED architect, project manager, landscape architect, interior designer, and historical preservationist. The final presentation consisted of ideas, drawings and models using TinkerCAD, a 3D digital design platform. 

The program kicked off at the end of October with opportunities to meet with clients to understand their needs and research green buildings  and environmental sustainability. Throughout the project, students received feedback about their progress through monthly pitch meetings with architects and clients. 

Student teams were each recognized for areas in which they excelled, including Best Presentation, Most Inventive/Technical, Best Use of Site, Excellent Client Responsiveness and Most Unique Idea. The strengths of each group were determined by their clients and architects.