An announcement from the Director,
Since 1983, Ginny Graves, Honorary American Institute of Architects (AIA) member, devoted her efforts to community-based education through the founding of CUBE with her husband, Dean W. Graves, Fellow AIA member. It is with a sad note to report that Ginny passed away 4 June 2025. She enjoyed a full life with family, friends and her work with building future generations of people working to improve their built environment. All of Ginny’s CUBEEs will continue to think of her often and the positive impact she had on all our lives.
Kirk Gastinger, Director
Cube is the 'go to' resource for built environment education.
The Center specializes in community-based education bringing educators, students and community partners together for positive change. The award-winning Walk Around the Block and Box City activity tools provide appropriate community outreach projects which reinforce the curriculum in relevant ways. Cube is about intentional design, making a difference in our built environment and community-building! Facilitators can adapt the curriculum for any grade level, any site and from a few hours to a full semester.
Box City
This award-winning and field-proven teaching tool has been tested and implemented for more than 45 years. The full curriculum is available simply by asking.
The Center for Understanding the Built Environment (Cube) brings together educators with community partners to effect change which will lead to a quality built and natural environment, one and interdependent. This means cities which work for adults and children; buildings and spaces which are healthy and aesthetically pleasing; streetscapes and landscapes which reach to the future while celebrating the past.
The ultimate goal of Cube is not simply to enable students to learn to value the built environment, nor is it just to improve their problem-solving and social skills. The central role of the Cube educational model is Responsible Action.
The Center for Understanding the Built Environment provides educational resources to teach children and adults about the value of engaged citizenry. The built environment [everything that is not nature] influences, affects, inspires, controls, allows us, in our every activity to be a participant or a subject.
Our Mission
Our Impact
The role of teaching does not just reside with the wonderful teachers that have employed Cube tools over the years. Planners, architects, government agencies & artists have all played an important part in the history of Cube. Integrated learning about community design is unique in built environment education. We all benefit from facilitating awareness of each citizen's ability to improve our neighborhoods