Apprentice Architect: Foundation Louis Vuitton
Teachers can use Apprentice Architect: Foundation Louis Vuitton as a case study in a unit on art, architecture, contemporary buildings, or engineering. Kids will learn about Frank Gehry and his work, as well as the how architecture combines art and principles of engineering. Combine individual exploration of this app with research into other Frank Gehry buildings, other contemporary architects, artists that might show their work at the Foundation, or architectural history. Have kids email the sketches and models they make with the app and explain their artistic process. Older kids who are particularly interested in architecture or engineering might enjoy using the building as inspiration to make 3D models with clay, cardboard, or other materials. On the off chance that there might be a class trip to Paris in the works, use the app to introduce the building before leaving, then use it again once there to explore further.
Continue readingEditor's Note: Apprentice Architect: Fondation Louis Vuitton is no longer available.
Apprentice Architect: Fondation Louis Vuitton takes kids on a tour of a Frank Gehry-designed building in Paris. Six activities give kids an in depth look from design to construction to function. Experiment with making sketches inspired by forms and lines from the world around you or make a 3-D model of a Frank Gehry-like building. Share finished projects through the email option. Take a virtual 360-degree tour of the building and learn about the engineering feats behind some unique features. Place glass panes in the roof, or find people (e.g., a climber, an engineer) in a Where's Waldo-like game to discover what each one does.
Budding architects and engineers will enjoy Apprentice Architect: Foundation Louis Vuitton as a kid-friendly overview of the process of making a new building from ideation to function. The best way to use is it to make a trip to the building itself. Study up on the design and construction process and then take the app with you as you explore the building to find all the features the app references. There's even a game where kids have to find where certain views of the building or surrounding area can be seen.
However, if a trip to Paris isn't in the cards, kids can still get something meaningful out of the app. There's some good general -- though very basic -- information about design and the building and engineering process. The design sections are fun, but drawing tools are quite simple. Without extra support, it may be hard for kids to see how these very esoteric shapes can be functional buildings, however they can get a good sense of the playfulness and artistic quality to architecture, especially that of Frank Gehry. Overall, this is a fun (and free!) peek inside the head of a visionary contemporary architect.
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