MODELING TEACHING METHODOLOGY: FROM CUBE TO ARCHITECTURAL CHRISTMAS TREE
The article examines the experience of introducing a pilot Modeling course for 1st year students. Work with single-material modular elements is the principal basis of the program. While making models in different scales from modular elements students get acquainted with the types of composition, explore the properties of different materials and interrelation and difference between the planar, three-dimensional and spatial structures. The method provides step-by-step complication of tasks. At the very beginning of the course, a warm-up task with planar elements is proposed. Then students work on volumetric models: starting with an abstract layout of “Architecton” - based on “architectural formula” by K. Malevich fixed in his cardboard, gypsum and wooden sculptures on the horizontal and vertical theme. Afterwards the thematic division of students' works is added. Next task is the model of the functional product as a shelving unit, which entails studying ergonomics, technologies and materials for implementation. The course ends with a hyper-object: an environmental sculpture made of the finished shelving units by the whole students group. The course goal is to get every student able to create an expressive architectural or sculptural object in any material - as cardboard, as found objects e.g. plastic boxes, as 1<sup>st</sup> year students theatre sketch. Specific requirements set by the teacher at the very beginning of each task (the same material for all students, the number of elements, the size and even the image-theme of the model) provide the students with more precisely production of the task. With the seeming uniformity of possible solutions, each student finds his own technique, which helps to formulate author's personal language. It is worth noting that while introducing the course it is necessary to expand the range of skills of a student during the Modeling course. The ability to present your work, studying the experience of the world architecture and design masters, calculation of production costs of an object and virtual or real acquaintance with fabrication - all this is no less important for a future professional of environmental design than composition, understanding of function and study of material properties.