by Catherine Teegarden Center for Architecture Foundation
Summer@theCenter, the Center’s summer design program for youth ages 7-18, is in full swing as we enter the second half of our 2015 season. A full slate of 14 separate, week-long programs and one two-week program, developed and taught by the Center for Architecture’s Education Department and affiliated design educators, is keeping a steady stream of young architecture enthusiasts – and their parents – coming to the Center on a daily basis. Lead Design Educator Tim Hayduk, Summer@theCenter Assistant Jenny Leiman, and a host of dedicated architecture student volunteers are helping to ensure the program’s success. With more than 240 students enrolled, we are building a corps of future designers, helping them discover their love of architecture at an early age.
Each week explores a different topic in architecture and design through art and building activities, walking tours, and special site visits, nurturing students’ awareness and understanding of the process of design and the role it plays in shaping our city. Every Friday, students present their design projects to parents, siblings, and friends as the culmination of their week’s work. Programs cover a wide range of design topics, including buildings (“Skyscrapers from the Ground Up”), landscapes (“Playground Design”), engineering (“Bridge Design”), interiors (“Harry Potter Set Design”), sketching (“Drawing Architecture”), and urban design, like this week’s “Seaport City – Future in the Making.” In this class, middle school students will come up with their own proposals for a sustainable neighborhood along the South Street Seaport waterfront. Over the course of the week, students are learning about the history of the area, as well as the challenges it now faces with rising water levels and a growing population. In addition to a thorough exploration of the site, instruction in architectural drawing and model-making techniques, and an introduction to PlaNYC concepts and sustainable design ideas, students enjoyed a visit to SHoP Architects, where they met with Center for Architecture Board Member and SHoP Principal Corie Sharples, AIA, to learn about the firm’s work and see how professional architects tackle these problems. The students will present their final designs at the end of this week.
Programs are sold out, except for a few spaces left in the high school Pop-Up Shop Design program 08.17-21.15. For more information, please visit www.cfafoundation.org/summer or contact us at info@cfafoundation.org. Many thanks to our 2015 Summer@theCenter supporters Tom Krizmanic, AIA, LEED AP; Mitchell | Giurgola Architects; and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, whose support enabled us to provide over 30 scholarships to needy students.