Students from 7th and 8th grade worked with the physical features and potentials of their schoolyard, in relation to the school reform which dictates that schools must be able to function both as learning environments as well as gathering spaces for the local community.

The central design method in the project was 1:1 urban furniture prototyping with soda crates. The use of the crates enabled the students to repeatedly build and test their ideas and learn hands-on how shape, size and placement changes how a space is used. After testing various ideas through prototyping, the students created collages of their proposals for new urban furniture, in order to visually communicate their vision. By working with written and oral presentations as well as creative methods of communicating their ideas, school subjects such as Danish, and Design & Arts are taught in new ways.

By working on-site with real-life issues, the students gain a sense of ownership, both of their ideas and of the space they work with, while practicing the ability to participate competently and critically in society. Moreover, students gain a new perspective on the city, in particular their local surroundings. It is a way of motivating young people to ask critical questions and engage in the future of their urban environment.