Please Support Cube

We have been pretty low key around here about asking for support. So, here is our simple request. if you have seen or felt the benefit of Cube in your school or community, help us keep Cube moving ahead. If you are working with a group or institution that is implementing and sharing the value of designing and respecting quality built environments, Cube can use your help. 

Since launching our new website in February, Cube has shared the Box City and Walk Around the Block curricula with more planners, teachers and designers around the world; an increase of almost 20% in 5 weeks compared to the past three years!

Although the curricula are offered for no charge, the time tested tools took many years of development to create. Professional teachers, planners, architects and writers collaborated to build up the rich tools offered to the public. 

With additional support, Cube will be launching new and updated lesson plans, research and communications that will benefit you. 

Any amount is helpful; the curricula used to be offered for $45, but now it is offered for no charge. It is surprising how efficient we are around here! Thanks in advance for your contribution. 

Kirk Gastinger, ED and Ginny Graves, Founder

Walk Around the Block / Learning to See

Just for the asking we will share the WAB curricula with you. This tool has a proven record of improving awareness of our built environment. Architecture, history, engineering, construction technology, politics, religion, economics, landscape, cityscape all come together in a unique and local field experience. Some of the cool tools in WAB include developing a knowledge base, observing the environmental context, how to use a camera, sketching, writing, math, science, art, law & more. 

Planning for a WAB session or series requires some time in developing a map or area that is to be studied. Landmarks  should be identified. They can range from street names, to buildings, to landscape [such as a famous tree] to historic markers. Mapping and scale [what is your step and pace while walking?] development is important in knowing how far one can travel within a certain time. 

When looking at buildings or other structures such as bridges or towers, it is important to see how structures work. Post and beam construction is basic, but so are trusses and bearing wall technologies.

Next is developing a sense of how land is used. Streets and rights-of-way for transportation and distribution of utilities [water, sewer, power, gas, communication, green space] build a network of blocks  in our cities. With each block or area we have government, industry, commercial, religious, educational, recreational, residential and agricultural uses of the land. Generally, the distribution of these uses is regulated by zoning laws and societal needs.

Walking and recording or surveying the block is next. What do you see? How do you record it? What stories can be told? These are the exciting elements of the WAB experience. 

Look at the variety of shapes, materials, colors, patterns in just one block!

The Look of A Box City / from the archive

A Box City can take on many different looks; from just a table top display to a full gymnasium of a box-metropolis! From our archive, one can see the variety and energy these communities create! These can be one afternoon projects or a full semester of learning and creativity. And, it can engage just a few students, or an entire class.

We would love to see your Box City. Send us a story and a few pics. 

Cube / starting a conversation

What do you need from the Center for Understanding the Built Environment? Cube is available to engage in conversation, share resources and help us all think and act in support of a better built environment. What we have learned over the past 50 years is valuable experience that we continue to share.

Just since we launched our New Look webpage we have been lucky to share Box City and Walk Around the Block curricula with teachers and planners all over the world. Really! India, Australia, South Dakota, California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and more come to mind. 

How are you finding Cube? Where are you? What are you engaged in that Cube can help with?  What do you need?

Let us know.

Welcome to our New Look

Cube is thriving! And changing! The new website and images you see are to bring you more up to date with our activities. The core of Cube is Box City, Walk Around the Block and other Lesson Plans and this Blog - all designed and tested, to help develop awareness and inspiration on the control each of us has in defining our communities. The proven, built environment education tools of Cube, have been developed with transactional education in mind. 

So, visit our site, get the curricula, watch for upcoming sharing of other valuable educational resources. Note that the new look of our mark and logo was designed by Brand New Box. Look 'em up at brandnewbox.com

And, we love getting spontaneous support for the Center for Understanding the Built Environment!