Architecture and the built environment is something that has an impact on all our daily lives but it is the one thing we generally don’t learn about.

Working directly with built environment professionals is an enlightening way to engage and inspire young people to learn more about the world around them. There is no substitute for direct experience of good design and learning THROUGH and ABOUT exemplary architectural design.

As an educational charity, Open-City’s aim is to broaden awareness by welcoming a diverse audience to experience and explore exemplary examples of architecture, engineering and design. Open-City aims to educate and inspire discussions of excellence in architecture and to showcase outstanding new work, as well as London’s architectural legacy. Since we started our education programmes over ten years ago, we have engaged over 35,000 young people in their built environment. Here we share some of our tips gained from that experience in engaging young people with their built environment.

The activities in this resource are all linked to statutory programmes of study for core curriculum subjects, enabling teachers and learners to take advantage of an important, yet underused resource.

The activities can be carried out in all types of buildings – from private homes, offices, and architectural practices, to galleries, theatres and educational buildings, all have the potential to excite and inspire through direct access and creative exploratory activities that encourage you to really experience the space around you.

The activities in this resource are devised to help both sides see space, light and materials through a different lens for a while – and to hopefully take something lasting from that experience. We use the living resource of our urban environment to enforce general principles within design education and in fact learning as a whole.

Two Perspectives

Through their training, built environment professionals can come to experience and appreciate space in a very different way to the non-specialist. Although this can make initial dialogue across the divide a challenge, it is one that if overcome, can create a rich and mutually insightful exchange. We hope this resource will encourage you to share your unique skills and knowledge with the next generation and make an even bigger difference to the people and places of tomorrow.