Architecture Summer Programs

A person setting up architectural models on black pedestals.

First-year B.Arch. students prepare, assemble, and display their Core I Studio models and works for an exhibition in Milstein Dome. Melanie Chu (M.Arch. '24) / AAP

Build your portfolio. Start on your path to the study and practice of architecture at Cornell.

Develop your ideas and find new design inspiration at Cornell this summer! The Department of Architecture's summer program and course offerings bring students from all over the world together around a shared passion for design. Leading faculty offer an intensive suite of classes covering the fundamentals of architectural design practice, history, and theory and encourage critical and creative approaches to visual representation and making with tools at the cutting edge of design practice today.

High School StudentsCollege Students

A person building a wooden architectural model.

A person building a wooden architectural model.

"It was wonderful! Not only did I attain knowledge of basic architectural concepts, but I also learned how to think and analyze like an architect."

— Qi Yun (Christine) Gao, Summer Program Student

Introduction to Architecture Summer Program for High School Students

Lay foundations. Explore new ideas. Open possibilities.

The virtual Introduction to Architecture program is offered to high school students all over the world and is deeply rooted in thinking through making. This intensive, online curriculum is designed to inspire and prepare the next generation of emerging designers for the endless possibilities opened by the study and practice of architecture. Pairing design studios with courses covering history and theory, the program both grounds ideas and concepts in processes of making, and encourages students to develop a creative and critical design practice inspired by their unique interests and imagination. 

Our pre-college program is taught entirely online using the latest remote learning software and techniques so that students learn to set up their own studio and collaborate across projects and platforms no matter where they are. The curriculum has a strong emphasis on digital tools while also embracing analog and hybrid modes of design. All students receive close instruction and thoughtful critique as they develop a unique body of work suitable for application portfolios, and ultimately come to a deeper understanding of architectural education and practice.

Application Deadlines
Applications for the high school architecture summer program are due on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

Apply Now

Online Courses

In-Person Courses

Local high school students can apply to take the following AAP courses on campus this summer as commuters. To apply, follow the instructions for local students.
 

Instructors

  • Nikole Bouchard

    Instructor, ARCH 1110 Introduction to Architecture: Design Studio

  • Michael Jefferson

    Instructor, ARCH 1300 An Introduction to Architecture: Lectures

  • Xiaoxue Ma

    Instructor, ARCH 1110 Introduction to Architecture: Design Studio

  • Dillon Pranger

    Instructor, ARCH 1610 Design Making: Introduction to Digital Fabrication

Architecture Summer Program for College Students

Lay foundations. Explore new ideas. Open possibilities.

College students from all over the world have options at Cornell this summer. Our online Introduction to Architecture program is rooted in thinking through making and is designed to expose the next generation of emerging designers to the endless possibilities opened by the study and practice of architecture. Pairing design studios with courses covering history and theory, this program introduces ideas and concepts that help students establish creative and critical design practices inspired by their unique interests and imagination.

The Department of Architecture also offers several in-person courses for college students over the age of 18 who want to deepen their knowledge or sharpen their skills in a specific area of architectural design or theory — from making with new and emerging technologies to critical thought and writing about architecture and design.

Both online and in-person options provide close instruction with leading faculty who use different tools to support collaboration across projects and platforms. The virtual Introduction to Architecture program is well-suited for those looking to study architecture at a graduate level or as a minor at their home institution. Students in all classes receive thoughtful guidance and feedback as they develop a unique body of work suitable for application portfolios and ultimately come to a deeper understanding of architectural education and practice.

Registration Deadlines
For registration deadlines, please refer to the Summer Session Academic Calendar.

Register Now

Introduction to Architecture — Online Courses

Summer Studios for College Students — In-Person Courses

Instructors

  • Caitlin Blanchfield

    Instructor, ARCH 3308 Special Topics in the Theory of Architecture I and ARCH 6308 Special Topics in the Theory of Architecture II

  • Nikole Bouchard

    Instructor, ARCH 1110 Introduction to Architecture: Design Studio

  • Mustafa Faruki

    Instructor, ARCH 4509 Immersive Realities - New Technologies of Visual Representation and ARCH 6509 Special Topics in Visual Representation II

  • José Ibarra

    Instructor, ARCH 3101, 3102, 4101, 4102, 4101, 5104

  • Michael Jefferson

    Instructor, ARCH 1300 An Introduction to Architecture: Lectures

  • Ryan Ludwig

    Instructor, ARCH 3101, 3102, 4102, 4101, 5104

  • Xiaoxue Ma

    Instructor, ARCH 1110 Introduction to Architecture: Design Studio

  • Dillon Pranger

    Instructor, ARCH 1610 Design Making: Introduction to Digital Fabrication

Student Experience

A person sitting in a chair leaning on a wall preparing to work.

Introduction to Architecture Summer Program


A person sitting in a chair leaning on a wall preparing to work.

Hear Architecture Department Chair Caroline O'Donnell's thoughts on trajectories and possibilities you can explore through Cornell AAP's summer architecture programs.

Frances Shloss Studio


A group of people sitting in chairs in a brightly lit room.

These state-of-the-art studios on the third floor of East Sibley Hall feature individual and group critique spaces as well as a floor-length stretch of skylights that allow for an uninterrupted flood of daylight.

A group of people sitting in chairs in a brightly lit room.

The side of a large brick, metal, and glass building.

Our Campus


The side of a large brick, metal, and glass building.

The College of Architecture, Art, and Planning sits at the top of Arts Quad on Cornell's beautiful main campus in Ithaca, New York.

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