ARCHITECTURE AT CHICAGO
Learn about the two Architecture Summer Programs offered by the University of Illinois at Chicago; the first, HiArch is targeted for high school students while the second, YArch is for current undergraduate students, recent graduates, and other adults who have an interest in architecture.
HiArch Summer Architecture Program
Dates to be announced
HiArch is a summer architecture program designed to introduce high school students to the culture of architecture, design, thinking, and making.
Taught by University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) School of Architecture instructors, HiArch builds foundational skills in architectural drawing, design, and problem-solving. In the program, students work through design exercises, receive one-on-one feedback from instructors and current UIC students, and engage in group discussions and tutorials.
HiArch introduces students to studying architecture at the college level. Students get a sense of the demands and opportunities unique to an undergraduate architectural education. In addition to gaining new skills in formal composition and exposure to architecture practices in Chicago and beyond, participants leave the program with visual work they can use in supplementing college applications. Additionally, students will learn more about UIC and the college application process.
What HiArch Includes
- Instructor-guided studio work, including one-on-one instruction and feedback.
- Guided software tutorials.
- All necessary model-making supplies and materials.
- Use of School of Architecture facilities, including studio space.
- Printing (all required printing will be provided).
- Several guest lectures with faculty, working professionals, etc.
- Two lunches provided by the school per week.
Week 1
Participants will work through a series of studio projects using handmade and digital media to dive into building designs using the basic architectural concepts of plans and elevations. There will be time at the end of the day to discuss each student’s efforts with fellow participants and the faculty. Lunch lectures by guest faculty members and practicing architects will show students the kinds of architectural work being done in Chicago and around the world. Week 1 activities will include digital drafting. Students will conclude the week with a building design and multiple drawings of the structure.
Week 2
The model-building workshop is open to students who have participated in HiArch in previous summers, as well as new students enrolling in the program for a full two weeks. Students will use the drawing and modeling skills learned in Week 1 to further develop their structures through an iterative design process and add detailing to the structure and spaces. In-depth workshops, demonstrations, and experimentation sessions will help students become familiar with the types of tools and technologies used by architects today.
YArch Summer Architecture Program
Dates to be announced
YArch (pronounced “why-arc”) is a summer architecture program for current undergraduate students, recent graduates, and other adults who have an interest in architecture and design. It is an intensive, non-credit program spanning many facets of architecture study.
For those considering a career in architecture, YArch is a way to test the waters before jumping into graduate study. For those who simply wish to explore a lifelong interest, YArch’s challenging curriculum equips participants with new ways of thinking, seeing, and making.
What YArch includes:
- Faculty-guided studio work, including one-on-one instruction and feedback
- Guided software tutorials
- Architecture portfolio seminars
- Weekly theory and history discussions
- Guest lectures
- Reviews with guest critics
- Field trips and office visits
- Access to School of Architecture graduate studio
- Training and access to the woodshop and digital fabrication lab
YArch’s curriculum mirrors the structure and rigor of graduate education at UIC. At the program’s core is a studio project that immerses participants in the discipline of architectural design.
Beyond the studio, tutorials and discussions introduce participants to the basic history, theory, and practice of the field. A special emphasis on the graphic presentation of architectural work provides participants with the skills to create a portfolio of their work.
The program capitalizes on Chicago’s rich architectural history while examining the metropolis as a site ripe for contemporary design speculation and experimentation.
YArch instruction is led by a core group of School faculty, with additional faculty serving as guest lecturers, jurors in studio reviews, and field trip leaders.