Architecture for Kids | Let's Get Started

In our cities, we see everything from buildings to bridges, all of which are carefully designed and built by architects. But what is an architect? An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of a building. Focusing on artistry and design, they get to choose the size, shape, and what the buildings will be made from. Today, we're going to discover what steps an architect must take to make their dream become a reality. We're going to be using our own museum as our main example. Our first stop, back to when it was just an idea. Before they could start building, all architects start with bubble diagrams, which are sketches that they use to identify what areas of the building will be included in the drawings. The purpose of these diagrams are to understand how rooms connect and how spaces are going to flow from one to the next. Architects use these bubble diagrams to help them out with space organization and planning. The architects use these bubble diagrams to make technical drawings known as blueprints. Let's flash forward to 2008 and take a look at some from the museums. These blueprints act as a guide for making the building, a lot like a legal instruction book, telling you what materials to use and where exactly to put them, along with sketches known as renders that show you what the final product will look like. Once those blueprints are approved, it's time to start construction. Let's go check it out. If you'd like to try and be your own architect, tune in to the Architecture and Education series by our friends at the American Institute of Architects, right here at GCM at Home, where you can learn how to make your own bubble diagrams, blueprints, and master structures. This is Chris with GCM at Home, signing off.