Summer Studio 25

Join us for Summer Studio 25 — a two-week program led by world-class planners, architects, and urbanists. Through a mixture of hands-on education, engaging lectures, and city walks, you’ll learn the core principles of urban planning, architecture, and the building arts.

Sign up here to be notified of the launch announcement.

Planning and architecture for a changing world

Learn how to build beautiful cities from world-class experts.

Summer Studio 25 invites you to explore the artistry and mechanics of urban forms that have shaped flourishing communities for centuries. With a focus on beauty in human-scaled city building, you’ll learn how timeless design principles can be applied to modern development opportunities.

This immersive studio will not only sharpen your design skills but also empower you as a creator. Through a hands-on approach to drawing, you'll develop a deeper understanding of urban form through the act of physical creation. Whether you're new to hand-drawing or looking to refine your skills, our program offers the support and resources to help you thrive. By the end of the two weeks, you’ll have hand-crafted work ready for your professional portfolio - plus, you'll build valuable connections with industry leaders and peers.

The course runs for eight hours a day, Monday through Saturday, over two weeks. You’ll engage in a mix of guest lectures, drawing analyses, and intensive design studio sessions, all culminating in a final presentation to top industry professionals. This is your opportunity to gain the skills, confidence, and insight to become a leader in urban design!

Cultivate Vision & Practical Skills

Summer 2025

Hands-On Learning

True understanding comes from doing. At the Summer Studio you’ll learn through creative problem-solving workshops and practical studios.

Learn from the City

During your two weeks, we’ll study the historic urbanism of the city and surrounding new developments to learn from the best of both.

Engaging Lectures

Our teachers bring a wide cross-section of backgrounds, fields, and expertise so you can learn from a diversity of perspectives.

Schedule & Curriculum

Typical Day

  • Begin your day by honing your observation skills through guided hand-drawing exercises. You'll explore the intricate details of urban environments, learning how to analyze city forms and structures in a way that reveals their hidden patterns and logic. This session is all about cultivating your ability to visually dissect and interpret the spaces around you—skills essential for any urban designer.

  • In these focused lectures, industry experts will break down the key principles of city building, from historical urbanism to contemporary challenges. Each lecture bridges theory with real-world application, offering insights into how timeless design strategies can be adapted to modern development. By the end of each session, you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how to create more beautiful, human-centered spaces.

  • The heart of the program, the design studio is where ideas take shape. Over the course of each afternoon, you’ll dive into hands-on project work, developing your own designs under the guidance of experienced architects and urban planners. The studio environment fosters creativity, collaboration, and experimentation, with a strong emphasis on traditional hand-drawing techniques to bring your concepts to life.

  • End the day on an inspiring note with thought-provoking talks from leaders in the fields of urbanism, architecture, and design. These lectures are designed to stretch your thinking beyond the classroom, offering fresh perspectives on how cities can be shaped for a better future. You'll leave with new ideas and the motivation to bring your own visions for urban beauty to life.

“First we shape the cities – then they shape us.”
— Jan Gehl
“All buildings, large or small, public or private, have a public face, a facade; they therefore, without exception, have a positive or negative effect on the quality of the public realm, enriching or impoverishing it in a lasting and radical manner. The architecture of the city and public space is a matter of common concern to the same degree as laws and language—they are the foundation of civility and civilisation.”
— Leon Krier

Stay Up to date…

Want to receive an email when the Summer Studio launches? Share your email and we’ll keep you updated.

  • Dates are TBD. Please sign up to stay updated for our launch announcement.

  • We are leaning towards Charleston, South Carolina. However, the decision is to be determined.

  • TBD. We’re actively finalizing the total cost with a strong value towards affordability. We’ll also be offering an affordable housing package for students.

  • Two-weeks! More details coming soon.