Arts in Education Program in Architecture and Design/Community Studies
Henry Street Settlement

Fifth grade students present their designs for a school concession stand.

Photo: Susan Fleminger

Many children may not have much art on the walls at home, and they may have little access to live theater, dance, or works of great literature. But no matter where they live, in one sense, children are surrounded by art. There is rich architectural detail and cultural history in their neighborhood homes, schools, and civic buildings. And there are elements of design in everything from streetlights to trash cans.

Ten years ago, the Henry Street Settlement, an arts and social services agency in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, launched an innovative design education project to tap the learning opportunities available in the built environment. Through its Architecture and Design/Community Studies project, Henry Street Settlement works extensively with PS #20 and two other public elementary schools to provide in-school and extended-day design education programs to children.

In both programs, architects and design educators sensitize students to issues of design through neighborhood walks; lessons in design, urban planning, and local history; and visits to architects’ studios. Students get involved in a range of hands-on activities. In one project, they researched the history of a tenement by conducting interviews and photographing and researching the building’s structure. They have created a dictionary of architectural and design terms, and built scale models of designed bridges and of a local synagogue. The design activities incorporate lessons from other academic disciplines, such as math, reading, and social studies. Students also learn to use computer technology to develop designs, conduct virtual tours, and create presentations.

But the projects don’t end there. Once they’ve gained an understanding of design, students are challenged to suggest design improvements for their own schools. Students interview users of the spaces, develop recommendations, and make formal presentations. A jury of people from the school community selects the best ideas for construction. The young designers have created murals, designed a new school office and concession stands for their play yard, and developed new gardens, courtyards, and school entrances.

As part of its commitment to young people living in the Lower East Side community, Henry Street’s Architecture and Design/Community Studies program also invests in the professional development of teachers, teaching architects, and afterschool group leaders. Both a curriculum specialist and school technology specialists plan and implement a year-long program of workshops and identify outside learning opportunities for staff.