Architecture: The Building Art

Introduce your students to the art of architecture. Borrow three hands-on activities from PHLF that explain the three goals of architecture.

1. Building Use
   Use blocks to build a house for a mouse, a snake, and a giraffe. Students learn how the use of a building influences its design.
2. Building Structure
   Use wing nuts, bolts, and plastic pieces to build triangles and other multi-sided shapes and bridge spans. Students learn how structural elements— columns, beams, trusses and walls—help buildings and bridges stand up.
3. Building Appearance
   Add decorative elements to a two-dimensional house and learn some of the words architects use to describe building details.

Contact Sarah Greenwald (412-471-5808, ext. 537 or sarahg@phlf.org) to borrow these hands-on activities for a two-week period. PHLF will deliver them to your school.
Fee: $125 for PHLF members, $200 for non-members. Refundable deposit required.

In addition you may borrow a huge, vinyl floor map (12 ft x 16 ft) of Downtown Pittsburgh for a two-week period. Students can use blocks, cardboard, or paper to construct buildings on the Downtown street grid.

Fee: $25 for PHLF members, $35 for non-members. Refundable deposit required.

If you’re only borrowing the map, please come to our offices to pick up the map and return it.