Imagination took several steps toward reality during a popular dream house design project that connects second-graders with high school senior architecture students.
Ten Meadows Elementary School second-graders received a field trip to the KISD Career Center Friday, where they met with second- and third-year architecture students for a session of blueprint designing.
The younger students earned their one-on-one with an advanced architecture student through an essay contest.
Meadows campus technology support specialist Stephanie Young has facilitated the Dream Your House creative writing contest in conjunction with architecture instructor Jeff Fuller and his Career Center students for many years.
Pairs worked in the architecture lab for about two hours, culminating with an essay contest award ceremony.
The high school students will continue to work on the dream house blueprints to eventually give to their young clients and to result in a grade.
Both Fuller and a couple of his students said the project is helpful because it gives the high school students the chance to work with a client almost without limitation.
Normally, the architecture students find a teacher or other adult to act as client in order to hone their skills. A creative 7-year-old presents a different kind of client altogether.
The second-grade teachers confirmed their chosen students were thrilled their essays passed muster to allow them to see their dreams to blueprint reality.
Meadows teacher Tricia Troutt said she was impressed with the older students’ patience and interest in their young clients. “I liked how they were asking questions about what they wanted and listening attentively,” she said.
Visiting teachers also liked that several parents joined their children and seemed equally invested in the dream house design.
Yesenia Benavides, a senior architecture practicum student, praised her young client’s creative ideas.
“I think it was cool to work with second-graders. They have much more imagination. It’s like you’re accommodating to what they want and bring them down to earth a little. They are very honest, too,” she said.
Her client wanted a house in the forest with flowers, benches and plants.
“We started with a floor plan. I liked it. A lot of buildings are more modern. Hers had an older vibe to it. I liked it.”
Another practicum senior, Luis Pabon, agreed the wide-open project was an enjoyable challenge.
“It was very fun,” he said. “You get to open your mind to something new. He asked for a house inside a volcano. We compromised with a house by an island with a volcano.”
“Most of the time, you have a stricter platform to work on. (The second-grader) was as open to new stuff as I am. He wanted a putt-putt, a football stadium, a boat, a big gaming room and rooftop balcony. They are very open, so I try my best. It’s very fun,” Pabon said.
“He didn’t want to leave. I guess he was into it.”
Dream Your House project photo gallery:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/killeenisd/albums/72177720325040228/
