School pupils investigate architecture

12 August 2010

This week, 16 school pupils from across the Northwest attended a two-day architecture workshop at LJMU’s Art and Design Academy - organised by Places Matter and the Aimhigher Team at LJMU.

The programme gave pupils, aged 15-19, the chance to work with current lecturers and undergraduates to explore ideas and begin to design a ‘Time Pavilion’ to store a selection of objects typical of the present day for discovery in the future.

After arrival and introductions, students were split into groups and asked to brainstorm ideas. The students were then asked to present their ideas to the rest of the group and answer questions from a ‘critical panel of current LJMU architecture staff and students.

In the afternoon the students conducted a site visit along Hope Street to observe, analyse and record possible locations for their time pavilion to be housed. After making sketches and notes about their favourite places, day two was given over to the design, model building and critiquing of their finished structures.

The students gave group presentations to senior lecturers and postgraduate students, with all of them had producing very thoughtful and developed ideas, considering the short amount of time they had.

Structures included a 500m ‘crack’ which would run underneath the length of Hope Street and would be a historical walkway which tells the story of Liverpool from the early 1900s. It would also leave space to be filled with artefacts until the year 2050 and would act as a ‘chill-out’ zone for visitors to relax and listen to the music of the Liverpool sound.

Phil Lo, Senior Lecturer at LJMU, and his team of students gave up their time for the two-day event, as well as Jo Harrop from Places Matter, who ensured the event was a success.

If you would be interested in assisting with future Aimhigher events within LJMU, please contact Paul Ireland, P.M.Ireland@ljmu.ac.uk or 0151 231 3795.