e*SCAPE has successfully employed pattern books on a number of development or neighbourhood plan projects. Pattern books, created with the children of the local primary school they are developed around a series of workshops with a targeted class of pupils (usually years 4, 5 or 6). The children are given and introduction into urban design and why some places are special due to their form and character. The workshops can take many forms depending on the required outputs, examples include:
- Taking the children on a walking tour of the settlement and taking photos of the good and bad bits of their place
- Asking the children to write a postcard about why they like the place they live and drawing a picture of their favorite bit
- Getting the children to make a fortune teller which illustrates places they have visited around the area, country or world and reasons why they liked or disliked them etc.
The Pattern Book is then pulled together from the work produced, the outputs analysed for use within the project and hard and digital copies presented to the school.