Dal鈥檚 School of Architecture is constructing new perspectives for African Nova Scotian high school students.
鈥淏efore, I used to think that architecture was just drawing buildings and houses,鈥� says grade 9 high school student Nyisha Clayton (left), one of the attendees at the Experiences in Architecture program. 鈥淏ut now I know that you can actually do anything really.鈥�
Nyisha isn鈥檛 alone in thinking architecture is simply planning buildings 鈥� it鈥檚 fairly common for students to initially misunderstand what鈥檚 involved when studying the discipline.
鈥淭he idea is that you have to let them know, 鈥楾his is what we do as architects,鈥欌�� says James Forren, assistant professor in the School of Architecture and champion for the Experiences program. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not necessarily all about math, science and all these other myths you might have. When I was a student at their age, I didn鈥檛 know that this was something that I could do, that this could be school.鈥�
Overnight experience
The initiative includes two days of architecture workshops aimed at getting African Nova Scotia high school students interested in the profession, as well as an overnight stay at the campus to give them the full university experience.
鈥淭hese kids typically live at home, they have their schooling from 9-3 and then after-school activities,鈥� says Morgan Kerber, an Architecture TA as well as program assistant. 鈥淭his is immersive: you鈥檙e living in a dorm. You have a sense of responsibility, which is not normally given at this age, which I think is really cool.鈥�
The workshops took place from May 16-17 and were made possible by a partnership between the Business is Jammin鈥�, the youth initiative of the Black Business Initiative, and the School of Architecture. It was also sponsored by the Architects Association of New Brunswick.
鈥淭he goal really is to show them what that feels like early on, so when they do get to post-secondary, they don鈥檛 feel displaced,鈥� says Ashley Hill, the youth program coordinator for Business is Jammin鈥�. 鈥淭hey feel a sense of comfort, that 鈥業鈥檝e done this before. I can manage. I can find my way around.鈥欌��
A need for representation
Hill says the field of architecture is in great need of representation in the African Nova Scotian community, and that this initiative helps address that.
鈥淭he whole idea around the experience is to introduce African Nova Scotia youth to career opportunities for specific fields of study where we see less diversity,鈥� says Hill. 鈥淭he two Black [Dal] students that are helping here today are two of only a handful that are in the architect program at 每日大赛, so you can see the percentage.鈥�
鈥淲hen I speak to TAs and students currently in the program about their experiences, as visible minorities I鈥檓 getting a window into their experience that I wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise,鈥� says Prof. Forren. 鈥淚t highlights the work we have to do as a profession to change that landscape. It鈥檚 not an organic condition. Initiatives like this are critical to reframing the structural problems of the discipline.鈥�
Currently in its second year, the introductory program is already changing student鈥檚 minds about architecture. When asked if she would pursue architecture as a career choice, Nyisha said she was skeptical prior to attending the program, but now says: 鈥淚 could definitely see myself doing it now.鈥�
Constructing the future
Changes in perspective like Nyisha鈥檚 aren鈥檛 uncommon once students undergo the two days according to Hill.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that their idea of architecture has been shattered, I think they had no idea what architecture was until they came to this initiative. They had a concept of buildings and blueprints and it opened their minds to other possibilities. Now their considering 鈥極h, why is lighting like this?鈥� or 鈥榃hy are buildings made this way.鈥� They鈥檙e curious about everything now.
鈥淥ur goal isn鈥檛 to say 鈥榯his is why you should be an architect,鈥� our goal is to spark interest and get them to think from a different perspective and I think we鈥檝e accomplished that.
