Day 4 Exploration by Zooming Out

• Which is your favorite skyscraper? Why? 

The competition of the tallest building is all over the world. Which is the tallest one now? Which is the most beautiful one? Which is your favorite?

Which do you think will still be there for another one hundred years? Why do you think so?

On the one hand, skyscrapers provide an efficient use of land to house people; on the other hand, the dense population on a small piece of land adds stress to resources like water, food, transportation, contamination, etc.. So do you think skyscrapers are good or bad? Why?

Select a few skyscrapers, compare their height, cost, construction time, and design principles. Click for the world’s tall buildings.

Tasks

Level 1

– Select two skyscrapers you like most and least.
– Think about why you like and don’t like each building in a comparative way.
– Make a comparison orally or in a written format.

Level 2

– Select two skyscrapers you like most and least.
– Think about why you like and don’t like each building by answering the instructive questions.
– Make a comparison orally or in a written format.

Level 3

– Select two skyscrapers you like most and least.
– Inspired by the instructive questions, list your criteria of “good” v.s. “bad” skyscrapers.
– Make a comparison orally (1 minute) or in a written format (300 words).

Level 4

– Select two skyscrapers you like most and least.
– Inspired by the instructive questions, list your criteria of beautiful and beneficial socially, environmentally, and economically.
– Make a comparison orally (3 minutes) or in a written format (500 words).

• Will a “good” skyscraper always be good?

Placing your favorite skyscraper in a forest and a desert. It’s awkward, but what makes it awkward? Will you still think your favorite skyscraper is well done? Why? Can you adjust the skyscraper to fit in a forest or a desert? 

Tasks

Level 1

– Draw your favorite skyscraper in a forest and a desert on two pieces of paper.
– Adjust the skyscrapers in each context.
– Explain why you made those adjustments orally or in a written format.

Level 2

– Draw your favorite skyscraper in a forest and a desert on two pieces of paper.
– Adjust the skyscrapers in each context.
– By answering the instructive questions, explain why you made those adjustments orally or in a written format.

Level 3

– Draw your favorite skyscraper in a forest and a desert on two pieces of paper.
– Adjust the skyscrapers in each context by considering to adjust structural system, materials, shape, height, etc..
– Inspired by the instructive questions, explain why you made those adjustments orally (1 minute) or in a written format (300 words).

Level 4

– Draw your favorite skyscraper in a forest and a desert on two pieces of paper.
– Adjust the skyscrapers in each context by considering to adjust structural system, materials shape, height, etc..
– Inspired by the instructive questions through social, environmental, and economic aspects, explain why you made those adjustments orally (3 minutes) or in a written format (500 words).

• Would you like to live in the sky?

While “mile high” buildings have been conceptualized by architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Jean Nouvel, and others, today’s skyscrapers didn’t exist yet.

• Which is the earliest skyscraper?
• Who designed it?
• Where was it built?
• What is its structural system?
• What material were used?
• What is the motivation of the invention?

Last but not least, would you like to live in it? Why?
Refer to https://old.skyscraper.org/

Tasks

Level 1

– Answer the instructive questions by research and critical thinking that you learned.
– Draw a poster of your answers and the building.

Level 2

– Answer the instructive questions by research and critical thinking that you learned.
– Draw a poster of your answers and the building
– Draw your experience if you live in it.

Level 3

– Answer the instructive questions by researching the concept of “mile high“.
– Make a president study poster of your answers and the building in technical views.
– Draw your experience if you live in it.

Level 4

– Answer the instructive questions by researching the concept of “mile high“.
– Make a president study poster of your answers and the building in technical views, and thinking about its social, environmental, and economic impacts.
– Draw the building in a way that can further illustrate your answers.