Orchard Ridge 4K Students Explore the World of Architecture

For the past few weeks, 4K students at Orchard Ridge Elementary School have been busy exploring the fascinating world of buildings. Through hands-on activities, observations, and creative projects, these young learners have been answering "I wonder..." prompts about structures—such as how bridges are built, what makes roofs different, and how houses are designed. Using a chomp saw and cardboard, they've even constructed their own 3D models, putting their creativity to the test.

This exciting exploration took a real-world turn just before break, when Grant Bauermeister, an architect with OPN Architects, visited the classroom to give students a glimpse into the world of architectural design. OPN Architects is the architectural services provider for the Madison Metropolitan School District’s 2024 referendum projects—including Orchard Ridge—and Bauermeister was eager to share his expertise with the district’s youngest learners.

"Architecture is all about asking the right questions before we start building," Bauermeister explained to the class. "Who are we designing the building for? How big should it be? What materials should we use? These are the same kinds of questions you’re already thinking about as you build with blocks, Legos, and even Minecraft. You are architects in the making!"

During his visit, Bauermeister brought in construction documents and flipped through detailed 3D renderings, 2D floor plans, and section drawings to show students how architects turn their ideas into reality. The young learners were captivated by the images and eagerly offered their own ideas on how to design buildings.

One of the highlights of the visit was a hands-on show-and-tell session with real building materials. Students had the opportunity to touch and examine samples of different materials used in construction, deepening their understanding of how buildings come together.

"Our students were so engaged throughout the visit," said Ms. Shari Nelson, who teaches one of the school’s two 4K classes. "They’ve been working hard to explore buildings in so many ways, and hearing from an actual architect really made the learning come to life. They had so many creative ideas about what buildings should be made of and how they should function—it was wonderful to see their imaginations at work."

To keep the excitement going, Bauermeister left students with a design challenge: to draw a building that excites them. He even provided special paper similar to real construction documents, giving students an authentic tool to work with.

"I can’t wait to see what they come up with," Bauermeister said. "This age group has such a fresh and uninhibited way of thinking about design, and that’s something we can all learn from."

This visit was especially timely, as Orchard Ridge Elementary is one of the schools set to be updated as part of the district's $507 million facilities referendum, which was passed in November 2024. The referendum will bring much-needed improvements to schools across the district, ensuring modern and functional learning spaces for students. (District stakeholders are encouraged to follow progress on the facilities referendum work here.)

With pencils and big ideas in hand, Orchard Ridge’s 4K students are now putting their architectural skills to the test, imagining and designing buildings of the future. Who knows—maybe one of these young architects-in-the-making will design the next landmark in Madison!