10 Summer Architecture Programs for Middle School Students in Chicago
- Lydia Park
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
Participating in summer architecture programs for middle school students in chicago is an excellent way for you to gain early exposure to college-level academics and campus life. These experiences allow you to build practical skills like drafting and scale modeling while gaining valuable industry exposure and making connections with design professionals. Fortunately, exploring your passion for the built environment through these initiatives does not have to be an expensive endeavor. If you are interested in architecture, you might also want to explore a flexible online summer program that lets you build a portfolio from home. To help you navigate your options, we have narrowed down our list of the top summer architecture programs for middle school students in Chicago. Our selection focuses on programs that are intellectually rigorous, offer solid networking opportunities, provide fully funded spots, maintain selective acceptance rates, or are hosted by highly prestigious organizations.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies; Full financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8-week program; multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorers Program is a selective online research experience for middle school students, designed to build advanced academic writing and research skills. You begin by selecting a subject area, such as STEM, humanities, or social sciences, and are matched with a PhD-level mentor from a top university. Over the course of the program, you receive a structured introduction to your chosen field, then design and carry out an independent research project focused on a real-world question. To strengthen your writing and analytical abilities, you conclude the program by producing a formal research paper that presents your findings.
Location: National Public Housing Museum (Chicago, IL) and Chicago Architecture Center (Chicago, IL)
Cost: Free
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 20–July 24 and August 3–August 7
Application Deadline: Registration typically opens in March, waitlist available once full
Eligibility: Middle school students entering grades 6–8
This equity-driven architecture program introduces middle school students to spatial design as a tool for community change. You can attend one of two distinct, week-long sessions that focus on real-world urban issues and local history. In the July session, you will examine the history of equal housing rights and build a physical model of a commemorative monument. The August session shifts focus toward public health, allowing you to discover how urban planning choices impact human well-being. Both sessions incorporate educational field trips and dialogue with professional guest speakers, culminating in a final showcase where you present your team projects.
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies; Full financial aid is available
Acceptance rate or Cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Various cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies by the cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6–8; no coding or technical background required
Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program introduces you to key concepts in artificial intelligence and machine learning through live instruction and collaborative learning. Over 25 hours, you learn Python programming, explore data analysis, and build models using regression and classification techniques. You receive personalized guidance through small-group mentoring, with a five-to-one student-to-mentor ratio. As the program progresses, you explore more advanced topics such as neural networks and AI ethics. A central part of the experience is the team-based capstone project, where you and a few peers apply your new skills to solve a real-world challenge and present your findings at the end.
Location: Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL
Cost: $75, scholarships available
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 30–August 2
Application Deadline: Not specified, registration opens in spring
Eligibility: Chicagoland area students entering or completing grades 6–8
This process-driven architecture camp allows middle school students to work individually and collaboratively to solve community-focused issues through creative design innovation. Using the city as your classroom, you will explore the basic fundamentals of architecture, design, and urban planning. The curriculum guides you through advanced sketching, technical diagramming, and scale-model building during intensive studio sessions. You will also participate in an architecture-focused field trip and work alongside local professional mentors who help guide your spatial interests. At the conclusion of the program, you will deliver a final presentation of a fully realized design project that addresses a real-world issue in your community.
Location: Mobile Makers Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: Sliding scale from $150–$250, financial aid available
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 10–August 8
Application Deadline: Not specified, registration opens in spring
Eligibility: Chicago area students entering grades 7–12
This hands-on workshop series focuses on how design and architecture can serve as powerful agents for positive community change. You will work collaboratively with other Chicago youth to observe, sketch, and analyze existing city neighborhoods. The curriculum covers key principles of human-centered design, environmental sustainability, and neighborhood health preservation. Throughout the weekly Saturday sessions, you will collaborate with peers to construct life-size physical prototypes that propose more equitable urban environments. By the conclusion of the camp, you will present your collaborative structures and receive constructive feedback from local industry advocates.
Location: School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Sharp Building, Chicago, IL
Cost: $1,300
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 13–July 24
Application Deadline: July 6
Eligibility: Middle school students ages 10–13
This design-intensive camp helps middle school students explore how fundamental human needs and behaviors shape contemporary architectural design. You will use the city of Chicago as a living classroom to study world-renowned historical structures and modern masterpieces. The curriculum teaches vital technical skills, including scale model making, perspective drawing, drafting, and digital software programs. You will also participate in site visits to the Art Institute of Chicago and practice on-site sketching at famous buildings designed by Louis Sullivan and Mies van der Rohe. By studying contemporary projects like the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, you will enrich your independent studio work and build a foundational design portfolio.
Location: BitSpace Chicago, Chicago, IL
Cost: $800
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: July 27–July 31
Application Deadline: July 27
Eligibility: Middle school students ages 9–14
This hands-on model-building program encourages middle school students to explore architectural scaling and design through the creation of small-scale landscapes. You will dive into structural design concepts by transforming raw materials into detailed miniature buildings and customized elements. The curriculum focuses heavily on spatial reasoning, fine motor coordination, and computational thinking within a collaborative makerspace environment. Throughout the week, you will learn to safely handle technical tools while receiving guidance on how to shape your individual structural concepts. The program concludes with a final Friday showcase where you have the opportunity to present your complete projects to family and friends.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Varies
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: Not specified, recurring options available throughout the summer
Application Deadline: Rolling registration
Eligibility: Creative young learners and middle school students ages 4–14
This highly personalized program provides one-on-one architecture classes and interactive camps designed for students who love building, drawing, and creating. By using an online format, you can access a complete project-based curriculum from the comfort of home. You will learn fundamental design principles, explore three-dimensional structural concepts, and practice spatial problem-solving skills through hands-on creative exercises. The student-centered instruction matches your unique learning pace and specific design interests while offering direct guidance from an expert coach. At the end of your session, you will complete a distinct skill-building project that forms a solid foundation for your future design portfolio.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Sliding scale with a recommended fee of $25, financial aid available
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 22–June 26
Application Deadline: June 12
Eligibility: Youth and middle school students ages 8–12
This virtual, sustainability-focused architecture camp allows you to explore how minor design choices can generate a substantial community impact. The curriculum introduces you to fundamental, technical architecture practices like architectural drawing, neighborhood planning, and physical model making. Each day, you will receive digital lessons and work independently in a specialized student-architect journal before joining an optional live video session. These daily interactive meetings connect you directly with practicing architects and professional designers who provide feedback on your sustainable concepts. By applying a structured design-thinking process, you will complete hands-on activities that reimagine spaces to better support local wildlife and ecosystems.
Location: Chicago Architecture Center (Chicago, IL) and Jane Addams Hull-House Museum (Chicago, IL)
Cost: Free
Acceptance size/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 8–June 12 and July 6–July 10
Application Deadline: Registration opens in March
Eligibility: Middle school students entering grades 6–8
This program introduces middle school girls to the fundamentals of architectural design through immersive, hands-on learning experiences. You can participate in one or both of the unique, theme-based weekly sessions hosted at prominent local cultural institutions. Throughout the week, you will work closely with community partners to explore how structural elements shape the urban landscape of Chicago. The curriculum highlights sustainable planning practices and spatial design concepts, helping you cultivate an early understanding of the built environment. To conclude the experience, you will collaborate with your peers on special design projects and showcase your ideas in a creative team setting.
Lydia is an alumna from Harvard University and studied Molecular and Cellular Biology & Economics. In high school, she was the captain of her high school’s Academic Decathlon team and attended the Governor's School of Engineering and Technology. She is working as a life sciences consultant after graduation.