ARCHITECTURE: SUMMER AT PENN - JKCP.com: Just Keep Carving Paths

Architecture summer programs for high school students at The University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design are based on the approach of the undergraduate architecture program. You will be encouraged to develop a unique creative process as you learn specific architectural design skills. Working with Penn faculty, you will experiment with different techniques and design tools and use the city of Philadelphia’s historic and modern architecture for inspiration.

Offered by the University of Pennsylvania School of Design, the summer architecture program prepares you for college admissions as you experience college life and develop your portfolio. The courses are similar to those offered by the University of Pennsylvania Architecture Program but are sequenced and paced for the age and experience of high school students.

THE STUDIO EXPERIENCE

The studio style learning approach introduces the fundamentals of design through 2D and 3D exercises. Assignments in freehand drawing, technical drawing, and model building allow you to explore various techniques and materials. Learn how to use emerging digital software and methods of digital fabrication, such as laser cutting and 3D printing, as you create your own architectural design.

Studio sizes are kept intentionally small. With no more than 12 students per studio, you are given individualized attention from Penn’s faculty during every work session. You’ll love working in the beautiful sunlit studios overlooking Walnut Street and Penn’s campus. Just like a professional architect, you will be given a dedicated workstation and locker for the entire session.

ARCHITECTURAL FIELD TRIPS & EXHIBITS

Academic field trips and exhibitions are a cornerstone of the program. Each week, students will explore architectural treasures across the region such as:

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater Site Visit in Mill Run, Pennsylvania – Fallingwater is one of Wright’s most widely acclaimed works and best exemplifies his philosophy of organic architecture: the harmonious union of art and nature. It’s also now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Philadelphia Architectural Tour Day – Visit Philadelphia’s top architectural sites including the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Beth Sholom Congregation, the only synagogue designed by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
Washington DC Architectural Tour Day – Visit museums such as the National Museum of African American History & Culture, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the National Museum of the American Indian.
Final Exhibition – Display your work in Penn’s art gallery at the end of the summer.

BUILD YOUR PORTFOLIO & FUTURE

Learn to express your personal ideas through the architectural design process. Architecture summer programs help high school students develop their portfolio by exploring hand drawings, digital models and photographs of physical models created by you during studio.

Then, you’ll go beyond design, looking into future career opportunities and what it means to be an architect. Plus, you will visit local architecture firms, so you can speak with today’s industry leaders.

Finally, your work will be displayed in a final exhibition in Penn’s art gallery at the end of the summer and professionally photographed in our studio for your future use.

ARCHITECTURE AT PENN

The Architecture Department is housed at Charles Addams Hall, in the heart of the University of Pennsylvania campus, at the corner of Walnut Street and 36th Street. In addition to design studios, exhibition spaces, classrooms, and offices, this facility includes state of the art laboratories for computing and fabrication, a gallery and two advanced research labs.

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LEARN FROM PENN’S ARCHITECTURE FACULTY

The University of Pennsylvania Stuart Weitzman School of Design is dedicated to promoting excellence in design across a rich diversity of programs including Architecture, City Planning, Landscape Architecture and Fine Arts. They believe in the centrality of design to all aspects of creativity. A dual challenge is offered to you, our students: explore a broad range of possibilities through both practice and theory.

High school students enrolled in Architecture summer programs at Penn learn from world-renowned faculty from UPenn’s School of Design. Classes are kept small to ensure you will receive personal attention from each faculty member.

You will also hear lectures from Architecture’s Undergraduate Department Chair, Richard Wesley, author of Three Cultural Ecologies.

LIFE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

A historic Ivy League university. Located in the heart of Philadelphia. During the summer, the UPenn campus is filled with high school students, undergraduates, graduate students and professors; giving you the real collegiate experience.

International Experience. About 40% of students come from around the world to join us each summer. Every year we hear how much students enjoy meeting people from all over the country and the world and how it opened their eyes to different parts of the globe.

Trips & Activities. There is always something to do when class is over: movies, tours, events, going to the gym and more. Campus is surrounded by dozens of shops and restaurants that are fun to explore with friends. Trips are offered every Saturday to regional destinations of your choice. And Sundays are for exploring the Philadelphia region.