Architecture Class Heads to Hudson for Field Identifications
Here at Millbrook, students have an array of unique and fascinating electives to choose from, thanks in part to our brand-new interdisciplinary studies department. One of those electives is Sarah MacWright’s Architecture class, which recently took a field trip to Hudson, NY, for a field identification project.
The class, which is open to Vth and VIth formers, has gotten off to a hot start, according to MacWright. “In addition to making models, measured drawings, wiring a lamp, and other hands-on projects, the students are studying American house styles,” she explained. “We started with the three most prevalent styles on campus: Georgian, Greek Revival, and Colonial Revival, using school buildings for identifications and practice.” In October the class began learning about Victorian architecture styles, including Italianate, Second Empire, and Queen Anne. With their theoretical knowledge in hand, the students boarded a bus to Hudson to find and document real-world examples of the styles they’ve studied.
The students made an hour-long drawing in the field and used our textbook, Virginia McAlester’s A Field Guide to American Houses, to gather evidence for their claims,” MacWright said. “We are lucky to be studying American architecture in the Hudson Valley, which is rich in a variety of American house styles.
Along with making drawings by hand, architecture students are also gaining experience designing in AutoCAD, and they’ll even begin creating structures with wood and cardboard. MacWright also noted that next semester the class will head to New York City to study skyscrapers and Beaux-Arts architecture. Students will also benefit from viewing the in-progress construction of a new boys dorm on the west side of campus—in fact, they were already treated to a tour of the site just a few weeks ago:
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Offering interdisciplinary electives like architecture, filmmaking, and psychology allows students to explore their interests in a way that’s normally reserved for higher education. This early access to freedom of choice is just one way we ensure students are prepared for life in college and beyond.
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