Playing "Architecture Jenga": An interactive tool for teaching architecture and developing social resilience

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Shamout, Sameh
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2022-12-08
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Conference Contribution - Oral Presentation
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Auckland (N.Z.)
New Zealand
architecture education
Jenga (Game)
resilience
Unitec courses
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Shamout, Sameh. (2022, December 8-9). Playing "Architecture Jenga": An interactive tool for teaching architecture and developing social resilience [Paper presentation]. Rangahau: Te Mana o te Mahi Kotahitanga: Research: The Power of Collaboration, MIT/Unitec Research Symposium 2022, Te Pūkenga, New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand. https://hdl.handle.net/10652/6076
Abstract
All of us are aware with the popular "Jenga" game, by Leslie Scott, in which players take turns removing one wooden block from a tower of 54 blocks. The structure becomes increasingly unstable as each discarded block is also added to the tower. My interest in adding architecture into this game enabled me to work from home with joy, where I tested the game by constructing several buildings, reflected on resilience theories in practice, and prepared to introduce it to my students in the classroom. I posted videos under the title "Architecture Jenga" on social media to see how people would react to enormous Jenga structures. Jenga has been incorporated into architecture, with the term "Jenga Architecture" referring to buildings having Jenga-inspired designs. The author's approach is titled "Architecture Jenga" and relates to architecture-influenced mega Jenga towers and gameplay. There are several examples online of individuals creating Jenga structures and referencing well-known buildings, but "Architectural Jenga" may be unique owing to its massive scale, integration with architectural education, and connection to resilience theory. The contributions of this research also include shedding light on the use of Jenga in interactive learning in the field of architecture and resilience. Participation in Unitec events, such as the Northshore expo and Unitec Open Day 2022, was another method for gauging how people would react to the concept of a resilient Jenga city. The introduction of "Architecture Jenga" to architecture workshops for high school students and Architecture Design Studio 3 made my teaching experience at the School of Architecture at Unitec more enjoyable. The students played Jenga as they built towers in groups, discovered how gravity load affects structures, and investigated how long their towers could stand in the game. Social resilience acknowledges that individuals function, think, and achieve more successfully in groups. Even animals tend to hunt more effectively in teams. Our students interacted really well with the "Architecture Jenga" activity and came up with innovative ideas for wooden towers. After the Jenga game is finished, students were asked for their feedback on what they’ve learned, how the Jenga activity enhanced their teamwork skills and learning outcomes in the context of architecture deign and structure with architecture students, and in the context of resilience with social practice students. Feedback highlights that the architecture Jenga activity can significantly enhance student engagement, teamwork, social learning, risk-taking, learning attitudes, and academic and creativity performance. Future plans for "Architecture Jenga" include bringing it to academic scholarly research documenting and sharing the activities conducted at Unitec, increasing the number of high school architecture workshops, incorporating Jenga into Design Studio 3 and structure and resilience theories in a more comprehensive manner, and attempting to build the largest Jenga city and/or structure.
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