My space
My base
My place
A resource for exploring
relationships with the built
and natural environment
Exploring space,
base, place.
This design based project supports cross-curricular
work in the classroom. Pupils analyse how they relate
to places, from the level of home to the community.
Design draws links between subjects and helps pupils
understand the world around them, broadening learning
through creativity and sustainable development.
What’s it all about?
Exploring our personal space: the homes we share with our family; and the
public places we share with our neighbours and community. Split into three
progressive stages, the project enables pupils to examine different aspects
of their everyday lives in relation to the built and natural environment.
We examine the elements that make up our experience of the spaces that
surround and define us by introducing a flood narrative. This ties each stage
together and raises questions such as, what would we save? How can we
live differently to survive?
Activities become more complex with each stage, encouraging discussion
around the social implications of design.
Practical sessions see pupils draw different environments and use these to
create models. Teamwork, presentations and class discussions help pupils
to think about the way that they communicate their ideas, the core values
of their designs, and the needs and interests of their peers.
How does it work?
Three themes question how we interact with our built environment on
different levels. These are:
My space – how do you live in your bedroom?
My base – how do you live in your home?
My place – how do you live in your neighbourhood?
To start, pupils investigate, analyse and compare each theme, then discuss
how they might redesign or change each of the above environments in a flood.
Once each activity is complete, the class can sum up what they have learned
together and use their work to create an exhibition within the school.
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Guidelines for you
This resource provides a framework to guide pupils through each stage of the
project and present opportunities for cross-curricular working. You can use it
as a starting point for other curriculum work, building in additional content or
adapting current content to support other lessons.
With each stage, pupils develop skills in English through discussion and
teamwork, in maths and ICT by learning about design, as well as personal
learning and thinking skills. We suggest that the project is initially delivered
through design and technology, or a humanities subject such as geography
or citizenship at key stage three. Teachers delivering these subjects could
also encourage colleagues to deliver some of the outlined activities in other
lessons. Suggested activity times can be adapted according to available
lesson times and home learning, as well as pupils’ ability levels. References
are also made to the work sheets included in this pack. These will need to
be photocopied and shared with pupils.
One, two, three
The first stage, My space, explores personal space through pupils’ bedrooms,
which is where they have the most creative freedom. They start by working
independently, measuring and drawing their bedrooms, and selecting their most
valuable possessions. Next, they use this information to design a new living
space along the lines of a tree house. Once complete, the class compares
their designs.
The second stage, My base, looks at the spaces we share with family and
carers. Pupils explore design through the way that we live together, and
negotiation within the home and as part of a design team. Key questions include
what is a home and how do we share space? Working in teams, pupils combine
fantasy with the practical considerations of survival to design a communal living
space using a tower template.
The third stage, My place, explores the relationship between spaces and
the people who share them. Looking at their own local areas and comparing
them with other community models, pupils investigate what constitutes a
neighbourhood. Next, they work in teams to design a new island state.
They are encouraged to think about our relationship with natural resources
and habitats, and how we might plan future cities. At the end of the activity,
each group presents to the class and pupils can bid to become a member
of their preferred island state.
Survival scenario
Each stage is set within the context of a flood narrative. This begins with pupils
escaping rising waters by designing a bedroom that sits high up in a tree.
As the waters continue to rise, pupils re-design their homes to sit within a tower
block. Finally, the waters recede to create a group of islands where a new
neighbourhood can be formed. The flood narrative also presents an opportunity
for teachers to explore the issue of climate change if it is relevant to the lesson
in progress.
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My space
1. Introducing personal space
Learning objective: pupils can make considered personal choices
Suggested time: 1 hour
Subject links:
■ PSHE: pupils combine two elements of communication to express
needs and choices
■ Art and design: pupils take creative risks when exploring, experimenting
and responding to ideas and select resources to develop work
Materials: paper, colouring pencils, interior design magazines for
reference, scissors, glue.
Discussion points to consider include:
■ What do our bedrooms say about us?
■ What are the most important things you have?
■ How might we design a different space to live in the future?
Pupils imagine that – apart from their bed, clothes and food – they can
only keep 10 possessions from their bedroom, such as CDs, books or a
television. Encourage them to think about what they would miss.
List these items on the white board, noting the 10 most
popular things. Pupils then design their ideal bedroom, as
a drawing or collage, with these items in mind.
2. Home learning: draw a plan of your bedroom
Learning objective: pupils use a plan drawing to communicate
Suggested time: 30min for introduction, 1 hour for task, 30min to review
Subject links:
■ Maths: pupils make scale drawings and sensible estimates
of measures in relation to everyday situations
■ DT: pupils clarify ideas through drawing, respond to
briefs and show awareness of constraints
Materials: work sheet, A4 paper, pencil.
Explain that we need to consider existing spaces to design new ones.
Pupils draw a plan of their bedrooms using the photocopied work
sheet. On completion, the class compares their work in groups.
3. Development: scale drawing
Learning objective: pupils understand scale and scale drawing
Suggested time: 1.5 hours
Subject links:
■ Maths: pupils explore the mathematical situation to
tackle problems and calculate accurately
■ DT: pupils work from their own plans modifying them as appropriate
Materials: A4 paper, pencil, ruler, calculator, also reference home learning.
Explain how scale drawings work so that pupils can draw their
bedrooms to scale using their plans for reference.
How does scale work?
We draw a building smaller than it really is so that it fits onto a piece of paper.
This is called a scale drawing. The scale tells us how many times smaller the
measurements of the drawing are compared to those of the building. For
example, a drawing that is 25 times smaller than the building would use the
scale 1:25. This means the building is 25 times larger than the drawing. A 1cm
window in the drawing would be 25cm in the building. Ask pupils how much
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larger than the drawing the building would be using a scale of 1:100 or 1:50.
Guide pupils by asking what unit they used to measure their bedroom.
If they used their foot at say 20cm and the length of the wall was 13.5
times their foot, multiply 13.5 by 20cm to make the length of the wall
270cm. Divide this by 25 to reach a scaled down length of 10.8cm.
Once pupils have created a 1:25 scale drawing, they draw a measured
plan as home learning. They will need to check measurements around
windows and doors, and the drawing must fit onto A4 paper. Sketch
your own scale drawing in class, using a sharp pencil and ruler. Add
windows and doors, using the same scale, and thicker lines to indicate
solid walls. Explain that everything should look in proportion.
Pupils can include their top 10 items by creating icons for each item.
They will need to create a key for these icons next to their plan.
4. Tree house survival scenario
Learning objective: pupils can express practical design ideas
Suggested time: 1.5 hours
Subject links:
■ DT: pupils respond to briefs showing understanding of design ideas
and the social research behind products
■ PSHE: see activity 1
Materials: work sheet, scale drawings, tree house images, paper, pencils,
scissors, glue, card, rulers, modelling materials.
Introduce the flood scenario and explain that pupils need to swap five of
their top 10 items for five survival items. At this stage, also encourage them
to think about structures designed for height. Before pupils design their tree
house using their scale drawings, talk about spatial planning. For example,
if items are grouped together, it will create more space for other activities.
Next, pupils work in pairs and use their designs to create model tree
houses that fit onto A4 paper. They need to think about form and
function, and how to include their survival items which can be cut out.
5. Reviewing group work
Learning objective: pupils improve speaking and listening skills in group work
Suggested time:1 hour
Subject links:
■ English: pupils convey opinions clearly
■ Citizenship: pupils indentify viewpoints, weigh up different ideas and
draw conclusions
Materials: work sheet, string, paper, scissors, sellotape.
Pupils compare their models in groups and discuss how they chose their top
10 items, why these are important for survival, and why they want to live in their
tree house. Hand out the work sheet so that groups can combine up to three
models per page, and consider how they can join these to create a community
– for example making rope bridges out of string and paper. They can vote
for the camp they would like to live in, and then link all the camps together.
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My base
1. Introducing family space
Learning objective: pupils will be more imaginative when developing ideas
Suggested time: 1 hour
Subject links:
■ Art and design: see activity 1 in My space
■ English: pupils’ writing is varied with imaginative vocabulary
Materials: paper, coloured felt pens, images of housing.
Play housing consequences. Each pupil has a different coloured pen and a
sheet of A4 paper on which they draw a chimney. Ask them to fold the paper
to hide the picture and pass it on. Next they draw the roof, fold the paper and
pass it on. This continues until the first floor, ground floor and garden have
been sketched. Pupils then unfold their paper and compare drawings –
are they similar?
Next, show images of different types of housing – anything from wooden huts
to tower blocks. Pupils can research other images, including futuristic designs.
Repeat the game to see how different each image becomes. Finally, ask pupils
to write about the drawing and what it would be like to live there.
2. Home learning: draw a section of your home
Learning objective: pupils can produce a sketch drawing and share
opinions about it
Suggested time: 30min for the introduction, 1 hour for the task, 30min
to review
Subject links:
■ Art and design: pupils adapt and refine their ideas, processes and intentions
■ DT: see activity 2 in My space
■ Maths: see activity 2 in My space
Materials: work sheet, A4 paper, pencil.
Draw an example on the white board and refer to the work sheet. This includes
an extension task for pupils with strong maths skills who completed the scale
task in the My space activity. Pupils review and compare their drawings in
groups, followed by a class discussion to summarise findings. Encourage
pupils to talk about facilities we share in our homes, the advantages of not
having many neighbours (low density living) and of sharing space with lots
of people (high density living), and the disadvantages of both.
3. Development: scale models
Learning objective: pupils can understand scale and how it works in 3D
Suggested time: 1.5 hours
Subject links:
■ DT: pupils work from their own plans with materials and processes
with some precision
■ Maths: pupils use and make 3D models in a practical context
Materials: work sheet, A4 paper, pencils, rulers, card, scissors, glue.
Pupils make model rooms to scale to create a section view of the tower. Those
who did not complete the extension task can make scale drawings of rooms
from the section sketch to produce models using a scale of 1:50. Pupils who
struggled with scale measurement can cut out the templates on the work sheet
and attached these to card to make model rooms.
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4. Tower survival scenario
Learning objective: pupils can make design decisions as part of a team
Suggested time: 1.5 hours
Subject links:
■ DT: pupils develop ideas drawing on resources and clarify ideas
through modelling
■ Citizenship: pupils describe situations where rights and interests conflict
Materials: work sheet, card, scissors, pencil, ruler, glue, images from
magazines and the internet.
Introduce the flood scenario and the tower template. Pupils design their
tower in groups of up to four, combining the rooms they have made. They
should arrange them in different ways without fixing them to the work sheet,
experimenting with up to 10 rooms.
Encourage them to think about the following:
■ What happens when you place the rooms close together?
■ Which rooms need to be next to each other?
■ How will you use the space between the rooms?
■ Why is the tower better than where you live at the moment?
■ What happens when you spread the rooms across the tower?
■ Which rooms can be far apart?
■ What makes the tower feel like home?
Once arrangements have been agreed, the groups consider how to use the
spaces between and next to the rooms. They can source images of other
features they would like to include in their towers. Encourage them to think
about the following:
Is there anything missing from your tower?
Where will people source food? Or power?
■ What can I do for fun? Or to keep fit?
■ Is there a garden? Can we grow vegetables?
■ How do we move between rooms and floors?
■
■
Pupils prepare a presentation as home learning, covering the benefits
of living in their tower and why their design is distinctive.
5. Reviewing group work
Learning objective: pupils improve speaking, listening and presentation skills
Suggested time: 1 hour
Subject links:
■ English: pupils adapt talk to purpose developing ideas, thoughtfully
describing events and conveying opinions clearly
■ Citizenship: pupils use different methods of enquiry to investigate and
present an issue
Materials: tower designs, ‘cheques’.
Design teams deliver a short pitch about their development, its main features,
and what it is like to live there. Each team member should take a turn to present.
Pupils are then given blank ‘cheques’ (work sheet 2) to buy a home in one of
the developments – apart from their own. They can share the reasons for their
choice with the class.
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My place
1. Introducing community space
Learning objective: pupils are aware of how natural and built
environments interact
Suggested time: 1 hour
Subject links:
■ Geography: pupils show knowledge and understanding of aspects of
the geography of the wider world
■ ICT: pupils can select information for different purposes
Materials: computers, internet access.
Pupils think about where they live, shop, play, learn and exercise. Using online
search engines then can explore satellite images of their local and other areas,
and draw comparisons. For example, a search for Quarry Bay will show that
Hong Kong is built on the hilly landscape of an island. Pupils can research
other examples of how urban development has responded to the natural terrain,
including cities built on water (Stockholm) or on mountains (Yemen).
2. Home learning: map your local area
Learning objective: pupils compare and contrast how they use local facilities
Suggested time: 30min for introduction, 1 hour for task, 30 min for review
Subject links:
■ Geography: pupils describe and begin to explain geographical patterns
■ Maths: see activity 2 in My space
Materials: work sheets, pens.
Pupils create a map of their neighbourhood documenting the distance from
their home to amenities and the mode of transport required to reach them –
up to a maximum journey time of 15 minutes. They complete the home radius
diagram on the work sheet using 1cm to represent one minute. The name of
each destination should be written along the line. Journeys by car, bus, bike, or
on foot should each be recorded as a different colour. A key can be created to
identify these.
Pupils review their diagrams in groups and then compare results with the
class. This will highlight which facilities they value and use the most, and how
dependent they are on the availability of a car and their parents to drive them.
3. Island survival scenario
Learning objective: pupils improve collaboration and decision making skills
Suggested time: 1.5 hours
Subject links:
■ Citizenship: see activity 4 in My base
■ Geography: pupils understand that human activities cause environments
to change and have an awareness of sustainable development
Materials: island template, plasticine.
Set the scale for model construction and encourage pupils to think about
the variety of natural features and resources on the islands. Teams use
different colours of plasticine to represent different functions. Encourage
them to think about the following:
■ How could we organise where we live differently?
■ What are the benefits of small towns and large cities?
■ What are the benefits of keeping facilities close together?
■ Will it be easier to distribute power?
■ How will we travel between them?
■ How will we use our natural resources?
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■
■
Can these generate power?
How will we impact the natural environment?
Once teams have agreed the answers to the questions above, they make
models of their homes and up to 10 of their favourite places. They will need to
think about infrastructure and how they might re-design their communities.
4. Development
Learning objective: pupils consider sustainable communities
Suggested time: 1 hour
Subject links:
■ Citizenship, PSHE: pupils describe key features of the political system
■ ICT: pupils select information for purpose, organise it for processing and
present it in a style suitable for audience
Materials: island designs, computers.
Working in groups, pupils prepare a presentation explaining their approach to
housing, open space, infrastructure and other services necessary to survival.
They also think about aspects of a community in relation to the citizenship and
PSHE curriculum. For example, eco-credentials, governance, health and wellbeing, inclusion and services for young and old people.
5. Reviewing group work
Learning objective: pupils can present ideas clearly and creatively
Suggested time: 1 hour
Subject links:
■ English: see activity 5 in My base
■ Art and design: pupils take creative risks when exploring, experimenting
and responding to ideas
Materials: work sheet, paper, coloured pens, computer/data projector.
Teams name their island and design a flag to represent it before presenting
to the class. Each team member should speak about different selling points
of their development, such as why it is a better place to live and how they have
adapted it to the natural landscape.
At the end of the activity, pupils are given a ‘passport’ (work sheet 3). They then
decide which island community they want to become a citizen of, excluding their
own. The island with the most citizens is the winner.
Colour coding
Hand out an equal amount of plasticine to each team. Team members should be
responsible for one department, which is represented by a different colour of
plasticine. For example:
Housing - red
Open space - green
Infrastructure/work - blue
Leisure/culture - orange
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My space, My base, My place is
based on a project conducted by
CABE with Harry Dobbs Design
and Year 7 at the Wren Academy
in 2009.
Published in 2010 by the Commission for
Architecture and the Built Environment.
Graphic design by New Future Graphic.
Photos by CABE/Laura Broderick.
Printed by Seacourt Ltd on Revive recycled
paper, using the waterless offset printing process,
100 per cent renewable energy and vegetable
oil-based inks.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
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or transmitted without the prior written consent
of the publisher except that the material may be
photocopied for non-commercial purposes without
permission from the publisher.
CABE is the government’s advisor on architecture,
urban design and public space. As a public body,
we encourage policy makers to create places that
work for people. We help local planners apply
national design policy and offer expert advice to
developers and architects. We show public sector
clients how to commission buildings that meet the
needs of their users. And we seek to inspire the
public to demand more from their buildings and
spaces. Advising, influencing and inspiring, we
work to create well-designed, welcoming places.
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