Architectural Design Excursion

Exploring the influence of design on mood and social behaviour

Recently, Year 10 Architectural Design students went on an excursion to gather research and inspiration for their Café Design folios. The day saw students visit a range of cafes, retail, and hybrid social spaces before practicing their observational drawing of notable buildings in the CBD. Architectural Design invites students to develop their awareness of designed spaces that we all interact with on a daily basis, focusing on how design can influence our mood, social behaviour, and spending habits. Year 10 students, Neko and Elinor, had this to say about our excursion.  

“On the 28th of July, our architecture class went on an excursion to various cafes around Collingwood, Fitzroy, and the city. The main purpose of our excursion was to collect photos for our primary research and take away inspiration for our own cafés that we will be designing. We found it interesting to compare the different designs, materials, and architecture.”  

At the conclusion of our Café Design folio, students will write a comparative essay focusing on the aesthetic, social, and cultural evolution of cafes before undertaking a brief to design a meditation centre for the local community.   

Nicholas Cooke 

Architectural Design teacher