Apprentice Architect

Gr 3–6—Architects have the ability to transform, inspire, and transcend on a grand scale, none more so than Frank Gehry, whose particular architectural vision is among the most distinctive in the world today. Terms such as post-structuralist and decontructivist are often bandied about when discussing his work, but words alone do not suffice. Architecture needs to be experienced to be understood. For this reason, Touch Press has built a highly visual, interactive app with numerous opportunities for exploration, discovery, and creation as an introduction to the new, Gehry-designed contemporary art museum in Paris, the Fondation Louis Vuitton.Six activities form the core of the experience. Each one introduces a different aspect of the development of the building. "My Sketchbook" and "My Studio" focus on visualization and design. The first is a 2-D tool for creating a sketch of an edifice by selecting shapes from Gehry's palette of inspirational objects such as waves, sand dunes, and sailing ships. "My Studio" is a 3-D tool for designing a building by manipulating glass sail and iceberg shapes, two of Gehry's structural building blocks. Other activities focus on exploring the structure of the museum and visual perspectives. "Look Around You" presents views from six vantage points inside the building, while "How Does This Work" offers high-resolution, panoramic images of the museum's structural design features, which can be explored visually in 360 degrees and probed for further information. The final two activities are more gamelike; one invites children to learn more about employees' roles within the museum.While visitors to Fondation Louis Vuitton will appreciate Apprentice Architect (the app has no sound, making it a discreet guide in the museum), children will also enjoy its engaging activities off-site. The text is available in English and French, the cartoonlike graphics are colorful and viewer-friendly, and the navigation is self-explanatory. For those looking for a fun, hands-on glimpse into Frank Gehry's mind, creative genius, architectural style, and process, this app can't be beat.—Kathleen S. Wilson, New York University, NY