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C.E. Floyd Sponsors KidsBuild!, Catallozzi Volunteers

April 11th, 2014 by Catie McMenamin


C.E. Floyd Company was a first-time sponsor of this year’s KidsBuild!, which was held on April 5th. KidsBuild! is a hands-on, interactive learning experience for children ages 5-13

C.E. Floyd Project Engineer Michaela Catallozzi volunteered as a Building Inspector and loved the experience.

“It was great to be a part of a child’s first interest in the built environment,” she said. “However, it was ten times more rewarding to see development in a child where the interest previously existed.”

Participants built a fictional model city, while following a simplified version of the design and building process.

Step 1: Building Department

Kids start their day with a visit to the town Building Department, where they receive their assigned building type, use and site for the model city. This is their Building Permit.

Step 2: Site Selection

Next they visit the city and look at their site, which is color-coded based on zoning regulations. Volunteer “Building Inspectors” help them measure their site, explain zoning restrictions and assist with design ideas.

Step 3: Construction Yard

Next participants move to the construction yard, where they may spend up to an hour bringing their building to life. Here they choose materials, design and build their building.

Step 4: Building Inspection

In the final step of the process, the participants place their building on their assigned site. A Building Inspector reviews the design for zoning and code requirements and asks the participant to talk about the building. After an Inspector signs off on the building, the participants go to the “City Clerk” to receive a Certificate of Occupancy.

The City will be on display through April 12th at the BSA Space (290 Congress Street, Boston).

For more information visit: http://kidsbuild.org/

KidsBuild! was developed by Learning by Design in Massachusetts, a part of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA), which is committed to creating learning opportunities for children through design and the built environment.  It is their intention to use this event to broaden the understanding of the world in which we live.

Did you have a child participate in KidsBuild! or did you volunteer there? If so, please share your story in the comments section.

Posted in the category News & People.