Scale Dwelling Model

Lesson Plan Nest Dwelling Model  

OBJECTIVE: 

Design and create an architectural model of a dwelling for a specific species of bird of your choice.

MATERIALS: 

sticks, wooden matches, toothpicks, dowel rods, straws, mat board, cardboard, paper, Foam Core, wire any combination of the above, or similar materials of your choice.

CA Advanced Art Standards

1.3 Research and analyze the work of an artist and write about the artist's distinctive style and its contribution to the meaning of the work.

1.4 Analyze and describe how the composition of a work of art is affected by the use of a particular principle of design.

2.1 Solve a visual arts problem that involves the effective use of the elements of art and the principles of design.

3.3 Identify and describe trends in the visual arts and discuss how the issues of time, place, and cultural influenc

4.1 Articulate how personal beliefs, cultural traditions, and current social, economic, and political contexts influence the interpretation of the meaning or message in a work of art.

4.5 Employ the conventions of art criticism in writing and speaking about works of art.

5.2 Create a work of art that communicates a cross-cultural or universal theme taken from literature or history.

DISCUSSION: 

• An architectural model is a type of scale model - a physical representation of a structure - built to study aspects of an architectural design or to communicate design ideas.
• Architectural models are a good way of presenting a 3D version of your architectural design, interior design, or urban design project. 
• They give you a sense of how the different elements will feel in reality combined together
• SCALE: In art the size relationship between an object and the human body is significant. In experiencing the scale of an artwork we tend to compare its size to the size of our own bodies. 
• Proportion refers to the relative size of parts of a whole (elements within an object, i.e.: your face). 

ARTIST: 

Tim Prythero

• Creates miniaturized structures that record nostalgic moments in time
• Small worlds are simple but powerful and dramatic 
• Favorite subjects include gas stations, trailer parks, diners, and architectural kitsch. 
• He researches his subjects and spends hours carving and assembling and hand painting his environments.  

ARTIST:

• M. Pei was born in China on April 26, 1917. 
• In 1935 he began studying architecture in the United States 
• He earned his B.A. from MIT and his M.A. from Harvard. 
• He started his own architectural firm in 1955, Pei designed such well-known structures as the Kennedy library, the glass pyramid at the Louvre. 
• Pei continued to design impressive buildings during the 1990s, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
• Now in his nineties, Pei continues to design innovative structures throughout the world. 
• He has countless honors for his work within the field of architecture.
• In December 1992, Pei was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS:

Student will research a bird of their choosing

Based on that specific species birds habits, needs, etc., student will design (sketchbook) and build a scale architectural model of the bird's habitat. 

This habitat should not be traditional. Be creative. 

In the design, include a visual reference to at least one characteristic of the bird AND an element that references a specific human-made architectural structure. 

Additional Resources

You may want to explore the work of  Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Moshie Safdie