Creative Writing Activity: If Buildings Could Talk

The Conway Library Archive

91影视 Institute鈥檚 Conway Library archive is home to almost 1 million photographs of architecture from around the world, of all periods up to the present day. The contents of the Conway are incredibly varied and range from everyday houses and homes, to fortresses, castles, temples and palaces!

The selected photographs in this activity are a wonderful starting point for creative writing activities.

Choose one image for each writing activity.

1. Another Planet:听Write a听Mission Report

Imagine you are an interstellar explorer, on a mission to discover a new planet.听When you land on the听planet this building is the first thing you see.听颁辞尘辫颈濒别听a report about your mission, stating what you have found. Be as descriptive as you can. You could even compile a video or audio report, to send back to mission control.听听

  • What words would you use to describe this building?听
  • Does this building remind you of anything you may have seen before?听
  • What do you think听this building is used for?听Can you see any clues to what the purpose of the building might be?听
  • What does it tell you about the people/beings听who live there or those who use it?听听

2. Lost in the Woods:听Adventure Stories

You find yourself lost in the woods, you stumble into a clearing and the only thing you see for miles is this building.听Use one image and these questions as a starting point for a story and think about what might happen next. Your story could be spooky, or you might prefer to write something uplifting and magical. You could then use your story to create a comic strip or graphic novel with illustrations.听听

  • Think about how you might feel when you see this building. Would you be scared, excited?听
  • What do you think this building might be? Could it be someone鈥檚 home?听听听
  • Would you go inside of this building? If yes, what would find inside?听
  • Do you think that there听are people inside of this building? If yes, what are they doing?听

3. A Day in the Life:听Writing a Journal

Imagine you live in this building听and you are writing a journal entry for one specific day.听Try to include as much detail as you can. You can break the day down into听1 or 2 hour听chunks if you like.听听

  • Think about what kind of person you might be?听
  • Perhaps听you are a superhero and this is your secret lair?听
  • Perhaps听you are a wicked sorcerer and this is your haunted castle?听
  • What听was听the first thing you听did听when you woke up?听What did you do next?听听

You could听add illustrations听and floor plans听to your diary to show what your home looks听like on the inside.听听

Download If Buildings Could Talk – Courtauld Conway Archive Creative Writing Activity



Images:

All听images听courtesy of the Conway Library, Courtauld Institute of Art CC BY NC 4.0听

  1. Ali听Qapu听Palace (Ali听Gapu听Palace;听emarat-e Ali听Qapu),听Circa 1610, Isfahan, Esfahan province, Iran听
  2. Pei, I.M.,听National Gallery, Wings (building divisions),听1975, Washington, District of Columbia, United States听
  3. Castle, 14th听Century, Sully-Sur Loire, Loiret, France听
  4. Le听Corbousier听(Charles Edouard Jeanneret), Villa听Savoye, Fa莽ade, 1928 -1930, Poissy, Yvelines, France, Photographer Tim Benton听听
  5. Lur莽at,听Andr茅鈥�,听Werkbundsiedlung听(Werkbund听Housing Estate), House,听1930-1932, Vienna, Austria, Photographer Tim Benton听听
  6. Bagras听Castle, 12th听and 13th听Century,听Bagras, Turkey听

Citations