Starting Points

If this is the first time you've really considered architecture and the built environment (or the first time you've tried getting others to consider it), these are some of the things you'll need to start thinking about and discussing:

• How a building makes a person feel – do they like or dislike a certain building and why?

• How the building is made – does the construction look simple or does the building make you wonder how it was put together?

• The use of spaces/buildings – how do people use a particular space? Is the space easy/difficult to use? Can it be used in more than one way?

• The shape of buildings – why is a building shaped a certain way? Do they like or dislike its shape? How does the shape/scale of a building work in its environment/context?

• Sustainability/health – how does a building’s design affect the environment its in and the people who use it? How does it make people feel in terms of physical/emotional health? How does it use energy? How is it heated, how is it lit?

• Colours, textures, materials, light – how do these qualities affect a building’s look, use, atmosphere?

• The style of a building – is a building traditional/old-fashioned or contemporary and modern? Is it warm and welcoming or cold and industrial? How do you create the style of a building?

• The people who use a space – do different people have different needs when it comes to the spaces they use? How can the same space accommodate people of different ages with different needs or interests?


Take a look at the buildings around you and consider some of these points. Also take a look at some of the sites listed in Other Useful Links (--->) to find some architecture and design that you like and find some inspirations for your designs. If you find any other sites worth looking at, or if you've been taking photos of the architecture around you, please send it to us so we can share it on the blog :)