Design Quest: Architecture of Light - In-person workshop

About the Workshop

Design Quest: Archietcture of Light

Thursday 8th August 2024, 11am-4pm

For children aged 7-10 years.

Light and architecture have always walked side by side, together offering spaces which have both warmth and shade, sparkle and shadow, texture and beauty. But is light something we want to capture, or just sit back and enjoy? Early civilisations made gateways and buildings to capture sunlight; Le Corbusier declared light both a fundamental basis of architecture and the key to personal well-being. How can we use light as a building tool which elevates our architecture and helps us to feel better?

Where does light come from? Is there anywhere light can't go? How does light change what it lands upon? Do our buildings always look the same? In this workshop we will play with light, shadow and reflection, designing and creating structures which bend, shape and harness light. Through a series of games and challenges, participants will explore the properties of this most enigmatic material, and think how light and architecture work together, changing the way we experience time, movement and the atmosphere both in and out of our buildings. From windows & sky-spaces to sungates and starlight, participants will learn about different ways in which light has inspired structure throughout history. They will use a variety of drawing techniques and materials to visually describe different qualities of light (how do we draw glow? Or radiance? What colour are shadows?) Participants will explore the qualities of different materials and create models which command and celebrate light!

This creative architecture workshop is led by artist educator Zoe Allen for children aged 7 to 10 years.

Zoe Allen is an artist and educator who makes collage, assemblage, sculpture, and paintings. She uses materials foraged from sites which have particular meanings or memories, re-purposing these to create new conversations. Zoe also has a collaborative practice in which she works with other artists to create large scale installation informed by architectural forms and mechanisms.

About the Workshop Series

For ages 7-10, our Design Quest workshops inspire younger children to use their imagination and hands-on creativity for a fun introduction to architecture. Previous workshops have seen participants create optical illusions, design sustainable dens, build stage sets, develop an animated story around a public space or assemble a house for a mouse.

Based in London, mainly our HQ at 66 Portland Place, all participants must arrive by 11am. These workshops are led by professional educators and all materials are included in the ticket price, but lunch is not provided.

If you're under 18, tickets must be booked by a parent or guardian. Online booking in advance is essential and if we do not receive full registration information in advance of the event we cannot allow the participant to attend.

Some of our workshops involve a visit to an offsite location that is designed to enhance the learning experience and provide vital real-world context. Children are supervised by RIBA staff and volunteers at all times during such visits and location information is provided in advance.

To see other learning workshops taking place in this series, see our families and children page.

Terms and Conditions

• Tickets for participants under the age of 18 must be booked by a parent or guardian and advance online registration is essential. Bookings made on behalf of someone else still require advance online registration and it is your responsibility to share the registration form with that person. If we do not receive full registration information in advance of the event we cannot allow the participant to attend.
• We can offer a full refund up to 30 days in advance of the event start date. Thereafter, we cannot offer a refund or transfer. Cancellations must be made in writing to [email protected].
• We reserve the right to alter the advertised content of events.
• In the unlikely event we need to cancel we will contact all ticket holders as soon as possible to rearrange or offer a full refund. We cannot reimburse or compensate for travel or other associated costs.
• On entry to the event participants agree to behave in an appropriate manner; the RIBA reserves the right to remove participants who behave inappropriately from events and request their immediate collection by parents/guardians.
• The details you provide will be used in accordance with the RIBA's GDPR obligations. For information on how we will handle your personal data please see our Privacy Policy at www.architecture.com.

Host or Publisher RIBA Learning