As part of WOW Week, we held a special program titled "RUI Kids' Architecture Workshop: Visit an Architectural Design Studio! – A Spatial Sketching Workshop to Discover New Perspectives."

This time, students visited the office of Rui Sekkeishitsu (Rui Design Institute), an architectural design firm with a 53-year history. The firm undertakes more than 100 projects annually, ranging from the design of government buildings, educational facilities, and facilities for leading-edge companies to community-based urban development projects. Ikuki Kida, a first-class registered architect and Director of the Design Division, introduced students to his previous projects, guided them through the office, and led a lecture and hands-on workshop on spatial sketching.

During the first half of the program, students were given a guided tour of the various floors of the architectural design office, a workplace they would rarely have the opportunity to visit. Architects explained the creative ideas and considerations behind the interior design. By learning how the spaces they were seeing had been designed and the reasons behind various design choices, students gained a deeper appreciation of the complexity and creativity involved in architectural design.

During the spatial sketching workshop in the second half of the program, some students initially struggled with their drawings. However, after receiving a lecture on "vanishing points and the horizon line," key concepts for creating perspective and representing three-dimensional spaces, they were able to produce sketches with a clear sense of depth and perspective. Through live sketching demonstrations and direct guidance from professional architects, students eagerly and seriously explored how to observe and represent architectural spaces. Although the workshop lasted several hours, every student remained focused and engaged until the very end.

Visiting an actual architectural design office and hearing directly from professional architects provided students with an inspiring and enriching experience. It was a wonderful opportunity to discover the fascinating world of architecture and deepen their curiosity and desire to explore further.