Registration is closed for 2023.
High School Design Studio (HSDS) is a two-week program for High School students grades 9-12 interested in exploring the many fields of study that fall under the umbrella of design. This immersive studio simulates a collegiate level design studio experience that acclimates students to learning and practicing skills used for developing creative and unique design solutions. Students will work closely with design educators and professionals in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, city and regional planning, interior design, graphic design, industrial design, and engineering.
2023 Theme: Figure vs. Ground
Students participating in this summer’s program will investigate the role of figure vs. ground to uncover the relationship between all various elements that compose the built environment.
The use of figure-ground is often thought of in terms of psychology to reference the known information (figure) in contrast to the unknown, void, or unaccounted space (ground). This derives from the Gestalt theory of perception, which proposes that people make sense of the world around them by taking separate and distinct elements and combining them into a unified whole.
This concept of figure vs. ground applies across a multitude of scales, from the layout of a room to the urban design of a city. What is perceived as either object or void can begin to inform how one experiences a space (as an object, as a field, as a building, etc). Students will investigate how the use of figure/ground begins to affect form, space, and order of the built environment.
As the week progresses, activities will hit many topics, including Architecture, City Planning, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design, and Industrial/Fashion Design. With the help from counselors and professionals from various industries, students will learn about each field and valuable tools and techniques through the production of 2D drawings and physical models.