BUILDING A COMMITMENT TO SERVICE
By Pete Rosenbery
For Jon Davey, the sense of adventure that he feels with the annual “Kids Architecture” camp is about equal to that of the kids who participate. It is the same enthusiasm for learning and community projects that Davey and other faculty members in the School of Architecture share with their students.
Faculty members have overseen a variety of community service projects in recent years, including: students providing design assistance and consultation to more than 23 families following the deadly Feb. 29, 2012 tornado that hit Harrisburg and other parts of the region; a dog park in Ava that is disability friendly; and a two-story treehouse for the Dayempur Farm near Carbondale. There have been several other recent builds with the campus for many years, including a 1,500-square-foot hillside amphitheater that overlooks Little Grassy Lake at the Touch of Nature Environmental Center.
The community work that students do is a “two-edged sword,” Davey said.
“It benefits the people they are helping, and the students also receive the hands-on experience,” he said. “It also allows students to see the kinds of opportunities they have; they are receiving an education and also helping out people who might not have resources for these projects."
Davey said it is vital that students discover as architects the importance of being involved with the community and giving of their time and expertise.
Students, regardless of their age, are open to problem solving and creativity, he said. For 27 years Davey has led the award-winning summer architecture camps. The one-week camps introduce children from fourth grade through high school to architecture, urban design, landscape design, interior design and industrial design.
Davey said it’s “extremely important” for children to become exposed to architecture and the build environment. He notes, for example, that Faner Hall’s exterior design is a classic piece of Greek architecture and that Altgeld Hall’s exterior is the result of former Gov. John P. Altgeld’s love of European castles.
Davey designs his own curriculum for the camps and tries new things each year. For many students the camps present their first opportunity to walk into a design studio rather than a typical classroom.