Hands-on architecture + design workshops for high school students

CAF offers design skill-building workshops for high school students in the Chicago area. This year, we are pleased to announce that “Saturdays in the Studio” will run year-round! Workshops will take place on the 3rd Saturday of the month, starting on August 15th. Students now have more opportunities to work with architects and learn valuable skills related to the profession.

If you would like to learn hands-on skills related to architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning from professionals in those fields then sign up today!

Advance registration is required. Registration information is listed below.

COST Free for students in the Chicago Public Schools. $20 per workshop for students in private and suburban schools.
Lunch, snacks and all workshop materials are included in the registration cost.

August 15
Architectural Photography
CAF in Lecture Hall Gallery | 224 S. Michigan Avenue | 10am–2:30pm
An accomplished architectural photographer, with over 40 years of experience, will lead this workshop. After some classroom instruction, we will head outside in teams, lead by an architect, to shoot real buildings. A critique of your work will follow lunch. Digital cameras will be available but if you have your own, bring it along.

September 19
Design/Build: Fort Challenge
CAF in Lecture Hall Gallery | 224 S. Michigan Avenue | 10am–2:30pm
This new workshop will present you with an exciting challenge: to design your own structure and build it! These temporary structures will allow you to take your design ideas to a whole new scale!

October 17
Landscape Architecture I
IIT Crown Hall | 3360 S. State Street | 10am–2:30pm
This year, you will have the unique opportunity to participate in two landscape architecture workshops to explore both the design of public park spaces and university campuses. During this workshop, we will learn about campus design from the recently renovated landscape of IIT. Someone from IIT will be at the workshop to tell you about their Landscape Architecture degree program.

November 21
Free-Hand Sketching
University of Illinois - Chicago | 845 W. Harrison | 10am–2:30pm
Schools of architecture and design are constantly stressing the need for students to be able to free-hand sketch. In this workshop, we will discuss the importance of looking for solutions with a pen and paper. We will cover topics such as shade, shadow, lighting, contour drawing, symmetry, etc. Learn how to express your design ideas with pen and paper and walk away with a piece or two for your portfolio.

December 19
Design with Revit Architecture
Harold Washington College | 30 E. Lake St | 10am–2:30pm
This course will introduce you to Revit Architecture, a building information modeling system. By using Revit, you can build your designs as an entire 3D model, rather than working in the two dimensions of AutoCAD. By the end of the class, you will be designing simple structures of your own using Revit.

January 16
Portfolio Design with Photoshop & Illustrator
Harold Washington College | 30 E. Lake St | 10am–2:30pm
Many colleges of art, architecture and design are now asking for student portfolios as part of the application process. This workshop will cover the basics of page set-up, information display and selecting a theme. We will be in a computer lab with access to Photoshop and Illustrator. You will use these tools to explore various page lay-outs, orientations and book design.

February 20
Model Making
IIT Crown Hall | 3360 S. State Street | 10am–2:30pm
At tables set inside Crown Hall, a National Historic Landmark, architects will instruct you in the basics of model-making. Using a variety of media, you will learn how to express design ideas in three dimensions. You will also have a chance to see the award-winning new buildings on campus by Rem Koolhaas and Helmut Jahn.

March 20
Architectural Drawing
CAF in Lecture Hall Gallery | 224 S. Michigan Avenue | 10am–2:30pm
This workshop will explore techniques for technically executing your design ideas. To turn design ideas into reality, designers need to communicate their vision to the people who will make it. Learn the basics of how to technically draw your design so that others could understand and build it. You will have the opportunity to create a plan, section and elevation of an original design.

April 17
Intro to Planning and the City
CAF in Lecture Hall Gallery | 224 S. Michigan Avenue | 10am–2:30pm
We will use the city of Chicago to explore basic concepts in urban planning. Learn the basic tools for understanding the ever-evolving city and documenting change. Activities will focus around mapping techniques and you will have the opportunity to design a neighborhood based on their own needs.

May 29
Landscape Architecture: take 2
CAF in Lecture Hall Gallery | 224 S. Michigan Avenue | 10am–2:30pm
Learn how nature, architecture and science come together in the design of landscapes. You will get an introduction to careers in landscape architecture and learn techniques that professionals use to design the world outside of our buildings. Activities include a trip to Millennium Park to survey and document the landscape and a student design for a new park space in the city.