Architecture students often face a lack of examples for inspiration while studying in Ames, so the architecture program sent 82 students to Kansas City, Mo. last week for exposure to a bigger city and its surroundings.

Architecture classes at Iowa State regularly go on field trips to gain a range of exposure and get a different viewpoint than they receive in Ames.

“We try to take the students on field trips every year to different locations,” said Sharon Wohl, assistant professor of architecture. “There’s certain things we can show them in Ames, but it’s definitely nice to go some places where there’s more options of urban environments and architecture.”

Students spent Thursday and Friday in Kansas City becoming familiar with the city, significant buildings and urban spaces. They recorded their experiences through video, photographs and sketches.

“We’re asking them to look at urban spaces to try to understand the way architectural form frames space and causes you to have different experiences depending on the environment you’re in,” Wohl said.

Students will make analytical drawings of these spaces, which will later be transferred to a design project.

Students visited four different architecture firms: El Dorado, Zahner Design, BNIM and HOK. Each firm varies in size and specialty, but the most popular among students was HOK, one of the more famous firms in the area.

Students had the opportunity to see specialized architecture, meet people and make impressions. 

They also visited several museums, including the Nelson-Atkins Museum, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art.

Designs and patterns at museums are often incorporated into students’ work, but knowing artists’ names and what they’ve created is also an important part of being cultured.

 “I think it’ll be really fun because we’re seeing a lot while we’re there,” Audrey Blankenship, sophomore in architecture, said before the trip. “The museums and the firms will feed into the next project we’re working on.”

After visiting all of the museums and firms, students were able to explore areas of Kansas City to get a feel for the city and its culture. 

“A lot of the time it’s actually about experiencing the city,” said Nick Senske, assistant professor of architecture. “A big part about architectural education is initially about experiencing different cultures.”

Students in the Midwest typically have a lot to learn about the inner-workings of a city, and architecture students in particular are expected to be adaptable to these cultures. Being able to get around a city via the metro system or knowing which wine to order at dinner are examples of the “soft skills” necessary in the field.

“You should know how to get around Chicago if you’re an architect,” Senske said. “You should know how to get around New York City. It’s a matter of having similar experiences to the people you’ll be designing for and with.”

The group stopped at the Pappajohn Sculpture Park in Des Moines on its way back to Ames. Sculptures were observed for their ability to take advantage of space and appear in a unique way from different angles.

The trip was not only a learning experience, but a bonding experience for this group of students that will spend the next few years together.