Cambridge, Mass – On June 16th, as part of a community open house, a group of very excited young students will be recognized for their work creating Fort Agassiz, a new play structure designed and built by them for the kids attending neighborhood programs sponsored by the Agassiz Baldwin Community (ABC) of Cambridge. Participating in a whirlwind adventure during the February vacation week, ten hugely enthusiastic 5th, 6th and 7th grade students harnessed their imagination and energy to design the new play structure and then build it during April vacation week – all in three short months!
Under the guidance of Wendy Prellwitz, architect at Prellwitz Chilinski Associates and teacher at ABC’s Maud Morgan Arts (MMA), they learned to build sketch models, to use an architect’s scale with a t-square and triangle, to make measured drawings, and to build a final model. They set out to satisfy their “clients’” desires and concerns in every way, doing research touring neighborhood playgrounds, understanding pre-schooler scale and play, and discussing safety issues with Maria Laine and Priscilla Browne from the ABC children’s programs.
Throughout the process, the kids were encouraged by Wendy and the MMA to use Inspiration +Innovation to “Think outside of the Box”, and be comfortable exploring ideas in a realm where there are no “right” answers. Ultimately, their creativity took the idea far beyond the “play house” originally imagined. “The results prove that community arts projects give students the skills they need in a world of increasing complexity, as well as fun and pride of accomplishment,” says
At the end of the design phase on April 1, 2012, the proud students presented their model to their “clients” and parents, and to the ABC Agency Board. Inspired by the hard work of the kids, the Board and Executive Director Terry DeLancey decided to proceed with construction, trusting that the community and parents of children benefiting from the play structure would once again show support with contributions. During April vacation week, under the guidance of their teacher Matt Neuman, ten middle school kids measured and sawed, sanded, screwed and nailed, painted and carried.
They spent four days installing a donated slide, building ladders, handrails, and side walls, and adding them to the basic structure that had been detailed by Prellwitz Chilinski and framed by Highland Construction. By the end of the week, it all came together with astonishing speed and Fort Agassiz was declared “open” with cookies and juice.
Based on the success of this project, Wendy Prellwitz will be teaching an eight week class in Beginning Architecture at MMA in the fall season.