Planning ahead and communicating your goals and needs are the keys to a successful trip. Before arriving, discuss with your class the questions that you will ask the architect. Inform the architect of these questions in advance. Ask the architect what kinds of things he or she takes into consideration when designing the structure. When designing buildings, architects must adhere to sets of laws known as building codes.
Some laws require that building designs provide for the physically handicapped.
Take a tour of the office, and note the equipment used and how the space is organized. Ask about a current project. An architect makes models and drawings as tools to help consider alternatives and make decisions about how people will live in the structures. If possible, plan a trip to the construction site of a project you saw in the architect's office. While at the site, students will begin to see the architect's ideas taking form.