Experience a college architecture design studio
Learn drawing and modeling techniques to design architecture projects
As of 4/12/2023, The UCLA TeenArch Summer Institute Session A (In-Person) is closed to new applicants. Students interested in applying for a 2023 summer institute in architecture are encouraged to apply to the virtual version of the program.
The TeenArch Studio Summer Institute program is offered by the UCLA Department of Architecture and Urban Design. This program is an intensive three week-long, full-time summer architecture experience for high school students interested in exploring architecture and design thinking.
Structured around the experience of a design studio typically offered within an undergraduate curriculum, the program exposes high school students to the architecture discipline, giving them a sense of the life of a college student. Students will get the chance to experience the architecture profession through the design of a project plus more and receive mentorship from current UCLA Architecture and Urban Design students, alumni, and faculty.
TeenArch Studio Summer Institute Program Overview
This program covers an exploratory design studio in which students will work alongside their studio instructors through several design exercises and projects.
TeenArch Studio activities include:
- Creating space by designing architecture projects
- Learning drawing and modeling techniques
- Participating in group and one-on-one instruction led by architects and designers
- Taking part in group reviews and critiques while presenting projects to guest designers, critics, and instructors
Studio Topic: Fold to Form
From point to line to plane to volume – architecture takes shape – and it begins with a single sheet of paper. It has been said that there is nothing more terrifying for a designer than a blank piece of paper because it is the embodiment of limitless possibilities. A single point could become a line in infinitely many directions, branching then again in infinitely more directions. But every design has a through line – a way to describe from beginning to end the process taken to arrive at the final product.
Students will begin by studying the ancient Japanese art form of origami. They will understand how form and volume take shape through a series of deliberate operations. Through diagrammatic drawing and modeling they will learn how to generate codified systems in order to abstract inspiration and figuration from a seemingly abstract form to create order in the form of a simple enclosure. Students will then develop a pavilion dedicated to the courtyard plaza in front of Perloff Hall, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design’s home on the UCLA campus. They will use their origami models and architectural drawings to inform their design, taking into consideration feedback they have received over the course of the studio.
Lecture Series
Local and visiting architects, designers, and talented professionals in related fields are invited to present their work. These lecture series give students the opportunity to learn more about each guest through their own perspective.
Final Review and Exhibition
The last day of the program is dedicated to reviewing the students’ work in the group demonstration format. Faculty members from different Los Angeles architecture schools are invited to contribute to the discussion of each individual student’s work, promoting an engaging conversation that enhances architectural production at large.
For questions about the program curriculum, please contact summer@aud.ucla.edu.
UCLA Summer Sessions Summer Scholars Support
Qualified students attending grades 8th – 11th in Spring 2023 in the state of California may be eligible for Summer Scholars Support, a need- and merit-based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available to support enrollment in SCIP/eSCIP, one Summer Course, or a Precollege Summer Institute.
Summer 2023 deadline to apply: March 15.
Students will receive a Pass/No Pass (P/NP) upon completion. To receive a “Pass” notation, students must earn a letter grade of C or better. See University Credit, Grades and Transcripts for more information about academic credit.
Due to the intense nature of the TeenArch Studio Summer Institute (In-person) and the time commitment involved, living in on-campus housing is mandatory.
For more information on UCLA housing precollege programs, please see the Housing for Minors page.
Many of our precollege programs with mandatory housing (only) also feature non-curricular evening and weekend activities, the availability of which is at the sole discretion of the academic department offering the program, and are not operated by UCLA Summer Sessions. To learn more about whether (and when) your selected program will host such activities, please consult the schedules for each program or contact the department in question directly: summer@aud.ucla.edu
Most of our precollege programs with mandatory housing will hold check-in on the Sunday before the start of the program between 4-6pm, and hold check-out the Saturday after the final day of class at 11am. Please contact the department in question directly to confirm check-in and check-out times: summer@aud.ucla.edu
The TeenArch Studio Summer Institute (Virtual) will be conducted virtually (online). All meeting times will take place in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), unless otherwise noted on program schedule and syllabus. Participants must log-in to virtual sessions at the times indicated on the program schedule.
Students in the virtual program will not be offered housing.
Session A:
Open enrollment/In-person
July 9- July 29, 2023
Session B:
Open enrollment/Virtual
July 10 – July 28, 2023
Program Eligibility: 8th-12th grade in Spring 2023 & Ages 14-17
UCLA Coursework: Architecture & Urban Design 1; 3 units
Enrollment Deadline:
Session A – June 15, 2023
Session B – July 1, 2023
The schedule and syllabus are subject to change. Enrolled students will be given updated materials closer to the program start date.
Fees and Payment Info
The program fee includes the unit fees for the UCLA coursework offered as part of the program and thus varies by UC student status. In addition to the program fee, students are assessed other campus and administrative fees during the summer. This is a summary of fees that commonly apply to the selected student type.
Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California. Visit the fees, payment, and financial aid section for important disclaimer, as well as more details on fees, payment instructions, and information on delinquency, refunds, and financial aid.
VIRTUAL PROGRAM FEES:
The program fee listed in the selection are for the In-Person version only. The following are the program fees for the Virtual version.
- High School Student = $2,425
- Incoming UCLA Student = $2,182
- Incoming UC Student = $2,182
All other fees listed will remain the same for the Virtual version.
Meet your instructors
Julia Koerner
Director of UCLA Architecture and Urban Design’s Summer ProgramsJulia Koerner is an award-winning Austrian designer working at the convergence of architecture, product and fashion design. She is internationally recognised for design innovation in 3D-Printing, Julia’s work stands out at the top of these disciplines. Her designs have been featured in the National Geographic Magazine, VICE, WIRED and the New York Times among other publications. Museums and Institutions which have exhibited her work include the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (MET), the Art Institute of Chicago, the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, Museum of Applied Arts MAK Vienna, Ars Electronica, among others. The constantly intriguing aspect of Julia’s work is its embodiment of a beautiful organic aesthetic.
Julia is founder of JK Design GmbH, specialising in digital design for 3D-Printing. In 2015, Julia launched an entirely 3D-Printed ready-to-wear collection entitled ‘Sporophyte’. Her collaborations involved 3D-Printed fashion pieces developed with Haute Couture Houses for Paris Fashion week and 3D printed costumes for Hollywood entertainment productions such as Marvel’s Black Panther in collaboration with Ruth Carter which recently won an Oscar for Best Costume Design. She further collaborated with Swarovski on a showpiece which displays Swarovski’s continued strive for innovation and the early developments of 3D-printing technology with glass.
Born in Salzburg, Austria, Julia received master degrees in Architecture from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and the Architectural Association in London. She is currently based between Los Angeles and Salzburg and has previously practiced in London and New York. Julia is the Director of UCLA Architecture and Urban Design’s Summer Programs Jumpstart and TeenArch Studio and has been a faculty member since 2012. She previously held academic appointments at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, Lund University in Sweden and the Architectural Association Visiting Schools in France and Jordan.
Julia will lead a team of UCLA Architecture and Urban Design students and alumni to deliver the TeenArch Studio Summer Institute program.
TeenArch Studio Summer Institute FAQ
No background is needed – beginners are welcome to apply.
Only students participating virtually will be expected to provide their own technical equipment to participate in the course. A complete list of the required hardware and software can be found here.
No, materials will be provided by the department for students participating in the program either in person or virtually. However, a complete list of the recommended drawing materials for students participating virtually can be found here.
All course meeting times are in Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). If completing the program virtually in a different time zone, please make sure to account for the time difference. The program schedule is subject to change.
Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.