Doodling inspired winner
Doodling during a math lecture proved inspirational for the overall winner in the high school division of the 34th annual Student House Design Competition.
“I was drawing the bubble diagrams that I had to do for planning this out in one of my other classes,” says Christopher Mah, a Grade 12 student at Dr. E.P. Scarlett. “It came to me while I was in a lec- ture in another class, Math 30.”
His task was to design a spa getaway with three suites that gave guests privacy — and included amenities such as a pool or hot tub and exercise rooms.
“I really wanted to play around with angles — different degrees,” Mah says of his design.
“I didn’t want a box or triangle-type shape, especially with the roofs. I also wanted to create lots of glass; that way, you’d get lots of sunlight.” The suites are linked. “I was trying to focus on separating the suites and making it as private as possible, as well as keeping it as one. I didn’t want to make them completely separated.”
His supervising teacher, Maureen Coulombe, calls his design sophisticated.
“You’ve got a lot of different levels and really high ceilings,” she says. “He wasn’t just putting things on one plane, but he was thinking on a variety of planes, which is really a big step.”
The design program at Dr. E.P. Scarlett High School has about 225 students, says Coulombe.
The program covers landscaping, interior and industrial design, and architecture.
The students also learn the design process, along with hard skills such as drafting and drawing.
The students are a driven bunch, says Coulombe. They work on projects not only during class, but before and after.
The projects presented at the recent dinner hosted by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association — Calgary Region were created in 32 class days.
Mah plans to attend university in the fall, likely in computer science.
He enjoys the design class for its creativity and potential practicality.
“It’s how you start off with a blank sheet of paper and by the end, you have something that you’ve created from scratch,” he says. “The idea that what you create in that class could possibly be used is something that is pretty awesome.”