Contact InformationFor more information regarding service learning at Wentworth, please contact Erik Miller, Director, 617-989-4993.
Joseph P. Manning Elementary School Project
During the 2013 Spring semester, two Wentworth design students will be working collectively on providing design services for the Joseph P. Manning Elementary School in Jamaica Plain. The focus of the project is to create a learning environment where primary school students can acquire knowledge collaboratively with nature through various interconnected activities around the school's grounds. The Boston Schoolyard Initiative will be a consulting partner in the process, providing many years of experience in transforming Boston Public Schools. The students will be mentored throughout the semester by a board of directors' representative from the Community Design Resource Center of Boston (CDRC). The following students are participating in this interdisciplinary project:
- Christopher Mara, B.S., Architecture '14
- Ashley Stowe, B.S., Interior Design '14
Documenting the Project
Throughout the semester, using photos, text, drawings, etc., the Center will be documenting the creative process of the team. The semester is broken into three (3) phases: research, design, execution. The research phase will focus on the students understanding what it means to 'play', how do children learn and how to create therapeutic spaces throughout the schools' grounds. The design phase will explore the grounds in three (3) different scales: master plan, spaces & activity details. The execution phase will be run in conjunction with the Center's community engagement workforce to clean-up and build components of the design as a team.
Research (Phase 1)
The co-op students have begun to explore the limits of play. Below is a glimpse into their current thought process.