Dr. Danielle Willkens, assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of Architecture, aims to introduce younger audiences to the field of architecture with her new book Architecture for Teens.

Architecture for Teens offers readers an overview of the basic elements of architecture—structure, program, aesthetics, and region. The book also shares the vast career opportunities for architects that range from residential and commercial design to historic preservation, landscape architecture, urban planning, and more. Using real world examples, Willkens presents architectural projects, colorful illustrations, and thoughtful details of their impact.

Willkens’ book was written with teens in mind to inspire and educate future architecture at younger ages. Even though the book is geared toward teens, it is a book for anyone with an interest in architecture. Architecture for Teens explores architectural movements and designers from pre-history to today while paying special attention toward building a more environmentally responsible world.

Architecture for Teens features projects and interviews by Andrew Daley, AIA of SHoP, Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP of Adjaye Associates and Beyond the Built, Valerie Friedmann, urban planner for the City of Lexington, KY, and Pavan Iyer (Bachelor of Science in Architecture, ’14) , founder of eightvillage.

Willkens joined the School of Architecture in the fall of 2019.  She is a practicing designer, researcher, and FAA Certified Remote Pilot who is particularly interested in bringing architectural engagement to diverse audiences through interactive projects. Her experiences in practice and research include design/build projects, public installations, and on-site investigations as well as extensive archival work in several countries. As an avid photographer and illustrator, her work has been recognized in the American Institute of Architects National Photography Competition and she has contributed graphics to several exhibitions and publications.

Currently, Willkens is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Atlanta Preservation Center, and a member of the Education Committee for the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art’s Southeast chapter. Since 2016, Danielle has participated in the research and documentation project for the spatial reconstruction of Selma’s ‘Bloody Sunday’ and the Edmund Pettus Bridge. She is currently the co-PI, with Auburn Assoc. Prof Junshan Liu, conducting a Historic Structures Report on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, funded by the NPS African American Civil Rights Grant Program. 

Learn more and order your copy of Architecture for Teens.