On Wednesday 19th April, the Architecture in Schools project was launched with a trip to the Earl’s Court Development Company.
Year 5 met our partnering architects, David and Xintong, from Haworth Tompkins, and the session kicked off with an introduction to architecture and learning about architectural drawings. The girls were then tasked with drawing a croissant in four different ways – sketch, plan, elevation and section.
Year 5 were then led on a guided tour of the construction site that once featured the Earl’s Court Exhibition Centres. It is an historic site that has drawn visitors since the Victorian times with attractions such as the Great Wheel and more recently concerts, art and design exhibitions, and Crufts! It has long been a place where people come together.
In this spirit, the children have been tasked with creating a multi-layered space that includes four elements: an underground world, a park, a performance/cultural space, and housing.
Whilst on site, the children were encouraged to do some initial sketches and to generate some ideas of what they might do with the space.
In true FHS style, the children have come up with many exciting ideas that range from a climbing wall to a VR experience, orchards to a skate park, various themed restaurants and cafes, blocks of flats, an observatory and even some dog-sitting facilities!
The trip culminated in an amazing visit to the BBC Earth Experience. Narrated by David Attenborough, the dynamic space brought original BBC footage to life.
What an immersive and magical experience!
Mrs van Kamp, Head of Junior School Art
