In the midst of summer camp closures in many provinces, Canadian architecture schools are offering a variety of online summer camps geared towards elementary and high-school children interested in architecture and design.
The Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto has a variety of offerings. Exploring Careers in Design is a program for late high school and undergraduates interested in a future career architecture. The online program, which will be delivered using tools such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, will include lectures by practicing architects and faculty, as well as virtual field trips to local buildings and professional offices. The month-long course will also feature one-on-one instruction and feedback, training in representation, model-building, and related skills.
Carleton University’s Azrieli School of Architecture and Urbanism is similarly offering a program for high-school students. Imagine Architecture 2020 takes the form of three one-week labs, held in July, which are designed to introduce students to the basic principles of architectural representation. The first lab focuses on scale, drawing techniques, domestic space, and physical models. The second takes an emphasis on digital drawing with tools such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. The final week focuses on abstraction, architectural thinking, urban space, and portfolio preparation.
For younger children, two schools of architecture are currently planning to offer online summer programs.
Ryerson’s Department of Architecture Science is presenting week-long, project-based camps for children aged 9 to 13. The curriculum is developed by Dr. Vince Hui, who is a past recipient of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations Teacher Award.
The Daniels Faculty has two offerings for younger children. Its Digital Design camp, for 12-to-14-year-olds, is a week-long program that introduces participants to Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Sketch Up. A new Minecraft Camp, for ages 8 to 14, uses the popular game to explore the fundamentals of visual thinking, urban planning, and environmental planning. The program was developed with University of Toronto eSports.
