Measuring Invisible Spaces: A Different Kind of Teaching Experience

In project-based lessons, the students first explored the school surroundings together. The focus was on the following questions: How do places influence our feelings? How can public space be described in a soundscape? What rules and freedom do young people experience in the city?

The students were guided in developing symbols based on their observations, which were then created using various materials. At the same time, a large textile map of the school environment was created, featuring illustrations of everyday orientation marks where all objects were located.

Three projects were carried out. In the audio files, you can hear the students talking about their projects and experiences, intercut with recordings of sounds from the school environment.

What do you hear? Explore the Sound of your Surroundings.

The students explored public spaces as soundscapes. In doing so, they were able to gain new perspectives on their everyday surroundings. They listened closely, collected sounds, and created artistic and craft-based elements for the collective map. 

Students of the Academy: Katharina Suttner, Jasmin Nassar
Students of the ILB: Ylva, Ona, Laura, Deniz, Luis, Linus, Paul

*Coffee machine*

Laura: We had this “Listening” project, and we recorded all these sounds and went outside, then marked the spots on the map where we recorded them. We recorded things like the cash register beep, for example, or the beep at the traffic light. And yeah, it was really fun.

Ylva: Yeah, and then we just took the sounds we had and tried to—for example, I used felt or just put something on metal—so that we could transfer the sounds onto the map somehow. 
*Construction site*

Y: Well, I usually listen to music when I go somewhere, and I thought it was funny that the teachers—or rather, the “supervisors”—came up with most of the ideas, and we didn’t really say much because, well, most of us just listen to music while walking around.

Ilay: And do you ever go out without music now?

Y: (laughs) No.
I: (laughs) Okay
L: That’s a little too boring.
Y: And there are kids screaming and stuff like that
L: And you kind of don’t want to hear that
I: Mhm
Fabian: I know, too. The kids scream so much. I can’t hear anything; people say, “Stop it, kid, why are you screaming like that?” and I think the kids aren’t making that much noise.
Y: Fabian has absolute hearing.
F: Yeah, sometimes I hear kids screaming.
I: And then you put on your headphones when they’re too loud?
F: Yep.

I: And you guys? What new things have you discovered or learned? Or—is there anything you’re taking away from this that you might want to work on further?

Luis: I’m noticing sounds more now, which I think is good, yeah.

I: That’s cool.

Deniz: Yeah, me too—I’m noticing sounds in my surroundings more now, just like that.

*Cash register beeps* *Squeaking* *Stick instrument*

Chaos of Feelings - Mood Monsters

This project explored the experience of emotions in the school environment. The students created a research map in form of a zine and a “mood monster” using materials of their own choosing. 

Students of the Academy: Lina Mehlführer, Agnes Peer
Students of the ILB: Emilia, Hanna, Elba, Lilly, Lea, Gabriel, Elisabeth, Sophie

*train pulls in*

-Yeah, we’re from the second group, “Emotional Chaos,” and we just marked our feelings on this map. First, we drew little cards with different emotions on them, and yeah. 
-Then we wrote those emotions on a small card and transferred them to the big map.
-And then we just went to these places on our walk and saw what we felt there.  
-And after that, we made a little booklet where we had to write down our feelings and draw a sketch of a Mood Monster. 

*Stick instrument*

-This is Hannah’s monster—she’s sick today, unfortunately—so I’ll just show it to you quickly.
It can even stick its tongue out. (laughter)  
-Cool, awesome! What feeling is behind it? Different feelings?  
-Yes, exactly. There are different feelings: joy, disgust, stress, and fear, and there’s also a sketch to go with it.

-Great.  
-Exactly.

-Milly is sick today, too, unfortunately, and she made a monster out of self-hardening clay, where she depicted her favorite place and her fears, and she even named her favorite place this little spot where she lies in bed at home and reads her bedtime stories, and she actually wrote poems in that little book.  
-Wow. 

*Sewing machine*
-My monster. And the monster’s name is—what was it again?  

-Leo.

-His name is Leo. 

*Bracelets*

-So I made this monster here. It represents the feelings of disgust, joy, and favorite place.

-All in one. Great.   

*Coffee maker*

-This is my monster. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish it. It’s supposed to represent joy, and this is the sketch.  
-Oh, okay, cool

-Yeah, that’s my mood monster, and it’s all in one.  
-All the feelings in one?  
-All of them.  
-Show me again. Really cute.

-That’s mine. It’s the feeling of a favorite place, when you feel so comfortable.  
- A feel-good monster. And where is that? Is it somewhere on the map? 
 - Nope, nope. 
 -Further away.
*Coffee maker*
 

Top Secret: Where do you sneak off to?

The students became neighborhood detectives and explored restrictions, shortcuts, and hidden spots in their surroundings. They examined spatial and social boundaries and created symbols. These were translated into fabric patches or metal elements and added to the collaborative map. 

Students of the Academy: Alix Drakulic, Lars Guba
Students of the ILB: Eren, Jonathan, Stella, Alice, Safa, Jan, Basti, Fabian

Teachers of the ILB: Hanna Christoph und Kenneth Hoffelner

*Sewing Machine*


Hello and welcome to our presentation. We’re from the group “Shortcuts, Secret Places, and Rules.” Here you can see a map of the area around the school. On the map, you’ll also see icons we’ve used to mark the locations. For example, this question mark here represents secret places. We made these icons in various ways. We embossed the metal, and we sewed this question mark out of fabric. 

*Sound of footsteps*  

Here is the park or the square, and next to the park there is a secret place where you can be alone—or hide. 

*Sound of traffic lights*  

Because we were also out exploring and visited these secret places. It was part of a walk.  

*Subway arriving*
 

And finally, here is a brief feedback from Deniz, Fabian, Laura, Luis and Ylva:

*Stick Instrument*


Fabian: I really liked it. And it was great. It was really cool. And I think it’s awesome, and crafting is also super fun sometimes.

Luis: Yeah, really cool. I thought the freedom we had while working was really cool and exciting, yeah.

Deniz: I thought it was really great too; we were able to learn very freely and could—yeah—decide what we wanted to do and stuff.

Ylva: Yeah, I liked it too. I really enjoyed the crafting of the objects.

Laura: I liked it a lot too. I would’ve liked it a little better if it had been summer when we went outside, because it was really cold. But the independent work was cool.


*Stick instrument*
 

Text: Antje Lehn und Anna Pritz, edited by Ilay Schwingshandl

Audiorecordings: Ilay Schwingshandl, the students of the sound project.