One of the best parts about doing this project are the people I have had the opportunity to meet & now share as a resource to the entire design community! It’s as if I’m painting a portrait with each person’s expertise and insight providing additional layers of detail. I am excited to share their stories with you as the year progresses. Recently I met Rebecca Seward-Beamer, architect at BRIC Architecture. Graduating with an undergraduate degree in Urban Design and Architectural History followed by her Masters in Architecture at U of O, she took on the role of construction manager for groups both in New York and then California. While living in Berkeley she became program manager at Project H, an in-school design-build program self-described as using “ the power of creativity, design, and hands-on building to amplify the raw brilliance of youth, transform communities, and improve K-12 public education from within. Our programs teach rigorous design iteration, tinkering, applied arts and sciences, and vocational building skills to give young people the creative, technical, and leadership tools necessary to make positive, long-lasting change in their lives and their communities.”
The founder of Project H, Emily Pilloton, went on to open Girls Garage also in Berkeley. Described as shop class for the 21st century, Girls Garage offers girls ages 9 - 18 skill building in after school classes & summer camps. The course work aims to integrate design, engineering, skills and social justice. Both of these programs, Project H and Girls Garage, have so many relevant elements that have the potential of informing the Designers Build curriculum. If you haven’t yet watched the documentary “If you build it” about the origins of Project H in the poorest county in North Carolina, watch it now - it’s bittersweet and amazingly inspiring. Bonus - it also clarifies what the H stands for in “Project H”.
a clearly identified outcome is critical to these classes, even if the internal framework of how to arrive at that goal can be left loose
It was really beneficial to learn about Rebecca’s program manager role and brainstorm ways to inform the Designers Build curriculum. A bulk of the classes were held as part of the school’s curriculum at the charter school were the program was housed. They would have long range projects that would be worked on throughout the year with the same group of students. There were also some classes targeted to adults on the weekends, one example being a “welding and wine” class. Initially I was terrified picturing welding with the addition of wine, but the agenda never really mixed the two. Students started in the morning with lecture highlighting the basic terminology of welding, then progressed to hands-on welding some angle iron book ends and steel tube pencil holders ending with a “gallery” show where invited guests (friends & family) would share celebratory wine. Although the youth curriculum and the adult classes seem very different, Rebecca held fast to the idea that common to both is a goal to reach an understanding at the end of the day and her role was to introduce the tools to get to that goal. This really hit it home that a clearly identified outcome is critical to these classes, even if the internal framework of how to arrive at that goal can be left loose to allow people’s interests to guide the end result.
Now that Rebecca is located in Portland she, along with her firm, has become active with local skills trades camp for young girls, Girls Build. The mission of Girls Build is very much aligned with Project H in the want to empower young women to build curiosity and confidence through the basics of building through after-school programs and summer camps. Rebecca has not only volunteered time with the program, but developed additional coursework focusing on the process of design which is held on weekends within her firm.
Photo courtesy of Project H and Unprofessional Development /Room 402