Many children have developed a

mindset that they are not able to draw,

but luckily no one seems to think they
cannot build!
- Pihla Meskanen, director of Arkki
SCHOOL LOCATIONS:
Helsinki: Kaapelitehdas
Tallberginkatu 1 C 106
00180 Helsinki
Vantaa: Lastenkulttuurikeskus Vernissa
Tikkurilantie 36, 01300 Vantaa
Espoo: Koulumestarin koulu
Muuralanpiha 1, 02770 Espoo
+ 358 50 525 8668
info@arkki.net | www.arkki.net
ARCHITECTURE CLUBS
Arkki provides courses in architecture for ages ranging
from 4 to 19. Teaching takes place in weekly sessions.
Around 500 children and young adults attend the
courses weekly. 4-6 year olds are welcome to come to
the courses with their parents. Children from 7 years
and up join activities in groups of 12 of the same age.
In Arkki, the children are introduced to the different
aspects of the built environment, the natural
environment and the relationship between the two.
The basic elements of architecture; space, light and
shadow, colours, shapes, materials and structures
are studied as well as visual presentation techniques,
design processes, and matters related to ecology,
sustainability and construction.
In Arkki we believe that architectural education
gives children new possibilities, means and mediums
to inuence the creation of our future environment.
Through various activities Arkki wishes to ignite a
spark in young peoples minds, so that they will want
to inuence and participate in the development of
the built environment in the future, whatever their
occupation is.
ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION
The aim of Arkki is to promote architectural
education in Finland. We want to help children to
fully discover and enjoy architecture and the built
environment, to understand the impact and meaning
of architecture to man, and appreciate everybodys
joint responsibility for the environment.
In Arkki, play and fantasy are used as means to
discover the different phenomena of architecture.
Learning happens through carefully conducted
investigations, constructing and experimenting with
different materials.
Teaching in Arkki follows the national system of
Basic Education of Arts and Architecture, which
supports and extends the arts education at the
elementary school. The objectives and core contents
are determined in national core curricula devised
by the National Board of Education. Architectural
education aims to develop a childs ability to
perceive, consider, understand, conceptualise and
evaluate his or her environment. Education about
architecture helps provide tools for responsible
and active citizenship.
WORKSHOPS FOR

SCHOOL GROUPS
Personalised workshops are available for school groups.
The theme can be selected from our wide range of
existing choices, or the workshop can be tailored
according to individual wishes. Most of the workshops
utilise hands-on working methods. Learning by doing
and experimenting are essential in understanding
architectural concepts and qualities.
An essential part of the workshop is play and pleasure.
Carefully planned projects guide children through an
individual learning process. Succeeding in these projects
leaves a pleasurable memory and encourages the child
to nd out more about the subject themselves.
BIRTHDAY PARTY WITH
SWEET ARCHITECTURE
For a birthday party thats both educational and fun
Sweet Architecture or Sweet City workshops
are memorable and unique events. The party can
be arranged at Arkkis inspiring premises in the
Cable Factory.
By hands-on building the participating children
can discover answers by themselves in a playful way,
instead of being told the answers by adults. In these
workshops the idea is to inspire the participants
to learn more about our built environment and
provide knowledge about architecture.
At Arkki we focus on
experiencing the world with
all the senses. We create
pedagogical projects to stimulate
the senses and to inspire the
imagination and creativity.
COURSES
HUT BUILDING
Amongst Arkkis various architectural courses some of
the most popular are the hut building courses, where
architecture is discovered in 1:1 scale. The desire to
build huts seems to exist in every child. Hut building
courses introduce the children to the building traditions
of different nations and cultures.
Man has always constructed shelters against the
hostile elements of nature using whatever different
materials each environment has had to offer. From
ancient, as well as present day nomads we can learn
the simple and practical construction methods that
have been rened over thousands of years. In the hut
building courses the children are introduced to different
cultures and their building traditions. They also learn
about different structural systems, joining methods and
knots. Learning happens through play and construction.
By 2013, 450 camps have been organised and a
total of approximately 4000 children have participated
in them. A book for children on hut building is available
from Arkki in Finnish, called Pieni Majakirja,
a Small Book of Huts.
ADVANCED HUT BUILDING
For those who have participated in the hut building
course, Arkki offers advanced courses. In these
courses children can make use of the methods they
have learned in the previous camps. Within groups,
various techniques can be joined together to design
new types of huts. Advanced courses are arranged
under various themes.
HUT BUILDING FOR FAMILY
Family courses give also the youngest children a
possibility to safely join the hut building together with
their parents or grandparents. Techniques learned on
this course can easily be applied at home, for example,
to create a hut village as childrens playground.
I have started to see the
environment in a totally new way,
commented a 12-year-old Arkki student.
ENVIRONMENTAL ART
On this course the environment is discovered
using all the senses. Individual and group artworks
are designed and realised in the landscape using
different materials and techniques. The art pieces are
documented and published in the childrens virtual
architectural map www.cmycity.net.
DREAM HOUSE PLANNING
WITH A 3D COMPUTER PROGRAM
On this course you can create a complete model of
your dream house using computer-aided design.
We use the same 3D software as professional
architects. The program enables the participants
to build a virtual model with life-like materials,
furniture, and outdoor elements. Its a wonderful
feeling to stroll around in your own creation, and
even make a video of the journey!
ANIMATION
On this course the participants plan and realise
their own animation lm step by step, getting
rst hand experience of the different phases of
animation, such as writing the manuscript, creating
the scenery and characters, and lming and editing
the movie. The completed animation is always fun
to watch for the whole production team!
ART
On the art course different techniques are used to
realise your thoughts and dreams on canvas and
other materials. In addition to 2D techniques we
also include design and sculpting. Everyone can
nd their own artistic expression by choosing
from our broad range of possibilities!
DESIGN
On the design course the world of objects is approached
from a new perspective. Different questions are
explored; such as why we need design, who designs
the objects, and what do you need to consider whilst
designing objects. During the course a variety of objects
at different scales are designed and realised with tried
and trusted design techniques. The underlying theme is
recycling and innovative reuse of materials.
MODEL BUILDING
On our model building course participants can choose
between two themes. You can concentrate on the big
plan and landscape model with houses and scenery,
or focus on the interior design of a dream house
considering details of furniture and materials. Both the
interiors and exteriors can be inhabited with characters
and used, for example, for role-playing games.
ADVENTURES IN THE CITY
On this course participants explore the city and the
built environment. They observe the common and
the extraordinary, and document their discoveries by
sketching, photographing, and through videos and
notes. Also, plans for the future city are designed, and
these creations are published in the childrens virtual
architectural map www.cmycity.net.
ARKKI
Arkki is a unique school in Finland run by a
non prot organisation founded in 1993. Arkki
provides architectural education within the
system of Basic Education in the Arts. The Basic
Art Education act was passed in 1992. Arkki
provides this long-term architectural education
in the cities of Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa.
The architectural education for children and
young people provided by Arkki, is the most
comprehensive in the world, measured by its
depth, quantity and quality.
Arkki provides 3600 teaching hours/year and
offers children and young people a possibility of
altogether 16 years of architectural studies, and
a total of 1800 hours of teaching.
In addition to this long-term architectural
education, Arkki provides short courses for 400
children and workshops for 3000 children each
year. Arkki also creates educational curriculums
for schools, museums and afterschool art
and architecture clubs. Arkki is involved in
national and international networks related to
architectural education. Arkki also organises
training for school teachers and daycare
personnel, organises conferences and produces
teaching material.