Workshops and educational programs for children 4-16 years old

VISION

Including children in a real-life conscious design and artistic processes is a powerful way to foster an open-minded multifaceted perception of reality from the early age. Architecture and art education teaches children not only to acquire new practical skills, but to respond creatively to challenges of life – to think, feel and act consciously, to be mindful and playful, to develop visions and to manifest projects, to understand hidden narratives of the world. Artistic interdisciplinary literacy helps children to recognise true beauty and mysterious interconnectedness of objects, beings and concepts, and, therefore, fosters a higher level of intelligence. Working integrally on the edge of artistic practices – architecture, design, graphic arts, illustration, drawing, dance or spontaneous movement, photography or film – my goal is to support the creative essence, the living force of creation itself, that blissfully rests at the source of human nature.

Currently, I am developing a new educational framework that explores deeper dimensions of artistic practices for children, while, below, you can find selected educational projects focusing primarily on architecture and design. It features Young Architects Society, architecture and design school for children and youth, based in Saint-Petersburg, that I co-founded (and directed in 2013-2020) with dear friends, architects, educators and artists, with the sole purpose – to support free creative expression of every child.

As architects, we were interested in exploring the qualities of playful – meaning lively and interactive – public spaces, and, consequently, the possibilities of participatory design that incorporates children, true professionals in play. As educators, we've been motivated to investigate actual educational and psychological benefits for children who are involved in a built-environment education from an early age.

METHODOLOGY

Methodologically, Young Architects Society focuses on active learning techniques and design-based hands-on learning approach. Through studio work, collaborations, performance, play, participatory design and construction processes, educators and architects create a safe engaging environment that motivates children to experiment, design and complete projects. Narrative is at the core of our qualitative research. We regularly gather and analyse interviews, field-notes, spoken and written observations of students, parents, and professionals. Believing in the power of education, we always aspire to learn from mistakes, build stronger personal and creative relationships, and evaluate our impact.

PLAY

Play is not about simplicity, but about interaction and communication between people, objects, spaces, visible and invisible forces. It is a spontaneous experiential process at the source of every artistic expression – whether it is a drawing, a model, a dance or a game. Once, we created an exhibition called "Play" presenting children's architectural and artistic work, aiming to celebrate education and craftsmanship, merging traditional exhibition space with playful interactive landscape for both children and adults. Visitors explore the exposition through creative engagement, tangible interaction and play.