About the workshop
Design Quest: Off the wall – in-person workshop
Monday 4 April 2022, 11am to 4pm
For children aged 7 to 10
Have you noticed that towns and cities have some official buildings that belong to everyone, like museums, libraries, or government buildings? If you look up as you walk around towns and cities, you might see that buildings like these often have ornaments or adornments added to their structure, such as animals or mystical creatures, fruit or patterns that give buildings different textures. But what are they and why are they there? Do they have a name or a personality? What do they tell us about the place in which they sit, or what happens inside the building they live on or the people who live and work there?
Join us for this in-person workshop and discover the weird and wonderful creatures that live hidden in plain sight on our buildings, monuments and structures. We will explore embellishments, emblems and architectural decorations and find out about their mythologies and associations, before designing and crafting their own decorative ornament to go on - or off - the wall.
This creative architecture workshop is led by artist educator Zoe Allen for children aged 7 to 10 years.
Participant information for Design Quest at 66 Portland Place, April 2022
With the return to in-person workshops, we are striving to make the learning spaces as safe as possible and will be limiting the number of participants at this time. We are delighted to welcome you to 66 Portland Place, but will ask that you follow a few extra guidelines for the event:
- please do not attend if you have any symptoms associated with COVID-19, have had a positive coronavirus test or have been asked to self-isolate
- please use the hand sanitiser stations located throughout the building or wash hands regularly
- please bring a jumper if the weather is a bit chilly, as we will keep the room as well ventilated as possible by opening windows and doors
- maintain social distancing and wear a face covering (unless exempt) when moving around the building
- bring along a packed lunch and a drink (the café is not open at this time). We will be keeping the group together at lunch time and weather permitting we will be having our lunches on one of our outdoor terraces
- arrive 10 minutes before the start time so that we can take the group up together. We may be checking temperatures as part of the checking in procedure
About the workshop series
For ages 7 to 10, our Design Quest workshops inspire younger children to use their imagination and hands-on creativity for a fun introduction to architecture. Previous workshops have seen participants create optical illusions, design sustainable dens, build stage sets, develop an animated story around a public space, or assemble a house for a mouse.
Based in London, mainly in our HQ at 66 Portland Place, all participants must arrive by 11am. These workshops are led by professional educators and all materials are included in the ticket price, but lunch is not provided.
Tickets must be booked by a parent or guardian. Online booking in advance is essential and if we do not receive full registration information in advance of the event, we cannot allow the participant to attend.
Some of our workshops involve a visit to an offsite location that is designed to enhance the learning experience and provide vital real world context. Children are supervised by RIBA staff and volunteers at all times during such visits, and location information is provided in advance.
Workshop costs
- £40 + booking fee
- £30 for participants who qualify for free school lunch (proof required)
To see other learning workshops taking place in this series, see our families and children page.
