Grab-bag: Being an architect
How can we use force and form to make strong and stable structures?
How can we build structures sustainably?
In this activity you will explore how architects make the buildings of their imagination work within the limits of reality.
Collaboration kills > work collaboratively in teams
MYP 4-5 inquiry questions:
Conceptual: How can we use force and form to make strong and stable structures?
Debatable: How can we build structures sustainably?
This activity is introduced in the student e-course here: 4.2.5 Strong and stable
When architects design a buidling, they need to consider a variety of important factors:
- structural stability - how successfully does the building distribute and transfer force to remain stable?
- materials cost and sustainability - how efficiently does the building use materials, and how sustainable are the materials it uses? What is the environmental impact of the building?
- aesthetic effect - is the building interesting, beautiful, does it make a visual impact?
In this activity, you will build a structure to meet an objective.
In groups: Your task is to build a free-standing structure that can support a 5 kg mass.
In doing so, you should consider the factors above. You should also think about what you have learnt about strong structural shapes.
The materials available are:
Dried spaghetti
Sticky-putty
PVA adhesive
Thin construction card
Wooden splints or tooth-picks
When you have completed your structure, you can test and evaluate the structures of each group using the judging sheet. Look at the judging criteria before you start to build!
Judging sheet: