What does an architect do? How is a chair made? Where do ideas come from? And what is design? The questions of the children, when it comes to the project, are many and not at all trivial. To answer their doubts, but also to bring them closer to the world of architecture and design, the first step is certainly to invite them to observe their surroundings: from the houses in which they live to the bed in which they sleep, from the school they attend to the sofa they watch TV on. But also choosing the right game and adventure companions is very important. From author books to kits for little creatives, here are five tips for aspiring designers.

Apprendista Architetto & Il Design spiegato ai bambini

The author's book - Design explained to children

Explaining to children what design is starting from everyday objects. This is what Mario Bellini, architect and designer eight times Compasso d'Oro, does in the book "Design explained to children". A volume published by Bompiani in which the designer born in 1935, accompanied by original illustrations by Erika Pittis, invites us to grasp the beauty of the objects that decorate our life and, returning to when he built his first miniature house as a child, tries to explain in a simple way the design and its profession.

The book / course - Apprentice architect

A "course" for budding architects complete with a model, poster and stickers. It is Steve Martin's "Apprentice architect": an architecture book, published by Editoriale Scienza, which in its 64 pages teaches children (aged 8 and up) to recognize the most famous ancient and modern buildings, creating projects with plans, learning about different building materials and dealing with special topics such as bio-architecture.

The online initiative - #architecturefromhome

Create your own city by Foster And Partners

Create your own city Architecture from Home by Foster And Partners

Thanks to the Coronavirus emergency and its lockdown, the British architecture firm Foster + Partners has launched #architecturefromhome: a series of recreational activities, available for free on the website www.fosterandpartners.com, designed to entertain the little ones by making them "play" with architecture. Aimed at children from 2 to 12 years old, the initiative stimulates creativity, dexterity and reflection and allows you to experiment and design like real architects. Among the models to download and print, those of skyscrapers and houses to be colored, cut out and then composed.

The game - Archiville

Archiville by Studio Roof

Houses, palaces, streets, fountains. With the Archiville game, from the Play collection! of Studio Roof, the children choose the place to live. Using the many colored cardboard shapes contained in the kit, they can invent urban scenarios and build their city. One rule: free fantasy!

The museum visit - Milan Triennale

The Triennale di Milano - Italian reference point for design, architecture, visual arts and more - offers families various initiatives. Among these, guided tours and workshops dedicated to children between 4 and 10 years old designed to refine the aesthetic sense of the little ones, ignite their curiosity and make them reflect on our relationship with spaces and objects. Image on the cover.

Article written for Mohd and signed by Ilenia Carlesimo, La Repubblica contributor journalist.


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