Exploring architecture with a short course: Elizabeth’s story

Architecture combines creativity with real-world impact, making it an exciting area of study for students of all ages. Well-designed spaces can shape how people live, feel and connect in the built environment.

For teenagers with an interest in spatial design, our Architecture for 11 to 15 Year Olds Short Course is the perfect place to start. Students learn all about the core principles of architecture, sketching and developing their own ideas and taking part in hands-on workshops at Central Saint Martins.

We caught up with creative secondary school student Elizabeth Xiaoyue Lang to hear about her experience on the course last summer. Take a look at Elizabeth’s inspiring design work on her website.

Shape and sculpture

Elizabeth lives in Hong Kong and was looking for a short course to explore her creativity and experiment with new mediums. With a busy school schedule, Elizabeth enjoys spending her free time drawing, painting and experimenting with different mediums to refine her skills. "Some days, I’ll be practicing my techniques in my notebook;" she tells us, "other days, I'll be painting portraits with oil paint."

"Recently, however, I decided to step away from canvases and paper and shift my attention to making sculptures where you wouldn't focus on a flat surface but something with shape. This is when I realised I wanted to expand my ability past 2D drawings and explore sculpture and three-dimensional work, and this is how I came across Architecture for 11 to 15 Year Olds Short Course."

Turning an architectural idea or concept into a model can help you see proportions, scale and spatial relationships more clearly than sketches alone. Students have the opportunity to take their ideas to the next level on the course, which is something that Elizabeth found very useful.

"I learned to express and formalise ideas, turning concepts into 3-dimensional models, tweaking and modifying them with [the tutor’s] guidance," she says. "While coming up with ideas was entertaining, bringing them to life was even more so."

The practical activities also helped Elizabeth build technical skills. “There was a noticeable improvement in my motor skills when it came to hands-on building activities,” she tells us.

The course was "a valuable experience," says Elizabeth, "it opened my eyes towards architecture, encouraging me to think critically and explore new viewpoints."