May 18: Build a Room in a Shoebox
Duration: 3 hours
Time: 3-6pm
Location: Studio Kayamai
Teachers: Aadhitya Jayaseelan, assisted by Piyumika, Suren
Intro
Is it the size of an Elephant? Or as small as an ant? Today we will learn about scale, and design a small room inside a shoebox.
Scale exercise (20 mins)
What is scale? Does anyone know?
It is the relative size of one thing when compared to another. Describing sizes by comparing it with something else is one way of measuring things. This understanding of scale is one of the first lessons in architecture and design.
For example. Look at these pictures. (the below image should be made available as a printed handout) How big is a person next to this house? Or this elephant? Or this cat? Or even an ant? Draw a stick figure next to it to demonstrate how big or small the image next to it is.
Material needed:
Printed handout 1x per student (See below)
Pencil
Design a Room inside of a shoebox (2.5 hour)
Materials Needed:
A shoebox or a similar sized cardboard box
Basic Stationery: Paper and pencil for rough sketches and ideas, ruler to measure, felt pens to draw
Craft Materials: Colored a4 paper or scraps, Cardboard Scissors, cello tape/masking tape and Glue
Lata pata: egg cartons, Little sticks, iratu, popsicle sticks, ribbons, crepe paper, sand, recycled material and cloth, string, branches of trees to represent plants
Handouts: A printed assortment of the below character prompts, printed so one child gets one character card.
Guide
Step 1: Print out these character prompts and randomly distribute among students. Ask them to think about the person they hope to build a room for. What about their personality, likes and dislikes can you represent in their space? Where do they like to live, and would you see that from their window? For example if you were making a room for someone with magic powers, or a musician, you would make the space differently.
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Suresh loves nature and gardening. He loves his personal space to remind him of the nature that surrounds us. He also loves to cook what he grows in his greenhouse and throws big dinner parties.
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Muditha loves the beach. His Favorite movie is finding nemo and he has a seashell collection. His favorite animal is a turtle
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Shevoni is quiet. She loves to read, and spend time by herself. She loves cozy spaces. She has a small pet cat who keeps her company.
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Amesh loves fashion. He also loves Color. He has a big wardrobe but also wishes to have a creative workshop where he paints, designs and makes clothes. He likes his space to represent his personality - colorful!
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Raya loves robots and technology, and is always taking electronics apart and learning to fix them. She has a robot sidekick that helps her do her chores. Raya is an astronaut in training and wishes she could visit the moon one day!
If students wish to create their own character, or make a space for someone they know, they are welcome to do so!
Step 2: make a rough sketch of what you’d like to include in your shoebox room. You may also draw and cut out a small scale figure of your character that lives in the box. What height should they be?
Step 3: Start building! Cut out windows, add furniture, walls, curtains, plants, carpets, art, a fish-tank, another level with stairs, anything you wish.
Step 4: At the end of the class, arrange all your boxes on top of each other to create a little terrace house.
Here’s some inspiration!
