Designing and building homes is normally the responsibility of a professionally trained workforce. So a lot of people are skeptical about the idea of a team of high school students taking on those tasks. Would a young, untrained group of students be able to undertake and successfully complete the construction of an entire home, from start to…

School design utilizing integrated architectural and structural precast and prestressed concrete components has gained greater acceptance recently for numerous reasons, including increasingly sophisticated owners and improved learning environments based on material benefits such as: sustainability, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, storm…

This article presents an activity that allows students to use mathematics and critical-thinking skills to emulate processes used by the ancient Egyptians to prepare the site for the Pyramids of Giza. To accomplish this, they use three different methods. First, they create a square using only simple technological tools that were available to the…

Shelter has been a concern of humans and animals alike for the millennia. Animals, through their natural instincts, build nests and shelters to meet their needs for protection against predators and seasonal changes in the weather. Early humans sought shelter in caves and cliff dwellings and later began to design and build shelters based on the…

This article describes how the certification program developed by the U.S. Green Building Council has been a popular way for colleges to "go green," but its certification process has been hampering colleges' efforts. The private, nonprofit Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program has become synonymous with green construction,…

For architecture students, a laboratory is seen as the most natural and productive way of learning about building construction. An introductory construction course at MIT is described that includes lectures, assigned readings, homework exercises, field trips to construction sites, and a weekly laboratory for hands-on experience. (MLW)

A first year building project of students of Yale School of Architecture is discussed. The program provides an opportunity for students to focus on a real client's aspirations and needs, as they are learning design skills. Client interaction is seen as a crucial aspect of architectural practice. (MLW)

This two-part book chronicles the stories of 20 women who built houses--for themselves by hand or for others as designers or architects. It is based on interviews by the author with the women and others over a 5-year period. The first part of the book documents the projects and careers of the women interviewed. It explores their backgrounds and…

Some 2,500 descriptors dealing with the planning and design of educational buildings and equipment are included in this permuted index which was developed by the architects of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's (Unesco's) Educational Facilities Section, the Unesco Regional Offices Educational Facilities units,…

Bridge construction is a popular classroom activity. However, the basic principles of tension, compression, and counterbalance are not always clearly represented and defined. The common materials used to construct model bridges, such as straws, toothpicks, Legos[TM], and building blocks, are often too flexible or stationary to demonstrate the…

Bridges and similar constructions are highlighted in this book of guided lessons and activities for secondary school physics students. This program was developed by the Physics Curriculum Development Project under the auspices of the Physics Curriculum Innovation Committee. Contents include: (1) "Introduction" (presenting a rationale for…

In view of the cost of structural framing for school buildings, ten steel-framed schools are examined to review the economical advantages of steel for school construction. These schools do not resemble each other in size, shape, arrangement or unit cost; some are original in concept and architecture, and others are conservative. Cost and…

In architecture courses, the bridging of design learning and construction is a constant challenge for educators. When designing the construction details of a building, students lack the field/site experience of the construction process and an understanding of the problems and solutions associated with erecting a building. The degree of…

This manual, developed by the Agency for International Development and used by the Peace Corps, explains how to build homes made of earth. Information came from reports, books, and articles from many countries, coupled with research by soil engineers at Texas A & M University. It is presented in the most nontechnical format possible. The…