Bridges: brilliant, aren’t they? But what do bridges actually do?
A bridge is designed to enable things to cross from one place to another, or over an obstacle.
But can bridges cross more than roads and rivers? Is a bridge more than just a structure? And who owns a bridge anyway – is it the architects; does it belong to the people who use it, or does the town that paid for it own it?
About the workshop
This workshop will invite discussion through creative games and practical challenges. We will encourage participants to consider the function of a bridge, the ways a bridge can look, the materials bridges can be constructed from, and the ways in which bridges can brilliantly navigate different kinds of structures or terrain.
We'll think about different kinds of borders and barriers, whether physical, geographical, psychological, or cultural, and how we can use architecture to overcome these. We'll consider the social responsibility of the architect and how, or if, architecture can - or should - be used to separate or unite people.
We'll learn about different types of bridges and consider their strength, location, and accessibility, while exploring creative ways to build bridges which forge stronger communities.
The workshop will culminate in a practical design-and-build challenge to show off those bridge building skills.
This creative architecture workshop is led by artist educator Zoe Allen for children aged 7 to 10 years.
