Our Arch Camp program is still going strong in its fifth year! Produced and designed by our DEI+I (Diversity Equity Inclusion + Impact) group, Arch Camp is a hands-on introduction to the field of architecture and design for local high school students. The program was developed in response to the Black Lives Matter movement with the goal of focusing on students from historically underrepresented groups (HUGs) within our local community – to show them that they belong in the Architecture field.
We sat down with some of the Arch Camp leaders for their highlights from the event this year, held in mid-July:
What’s new this year?
Phoebe Lam (PL): This year we focused more on activities in lieu of lecture-based learning. Rather than teaching architecture in a day, our goal is to expose students to the world of architecture and practice and make it a fun and memorable experience. To help encourage engagement we added competitions (with prizes!) and divided the students into smaller activity groups. We felt a lot of energy from the kids this year and noticed increased participation and collaboration.
We also wanted to boost our recruiting efforts in San Francisco this year. We accept students from all around the bay, but we especially want to make an impact in our hometown.
Alek Hernandez (AH): To connect with more students, we expanded our recruiting efforts. In addition to school guidance counselors, we reached out to local businesses, community centers and art programs. Ultimately, our class roster this year was from a wide range of cities around the bay. It was great to see the students get along so well, even though none of them knew each other going into Arch Camp.
What is special about our program?
PL: Our workshop is a one-day session, as opposed to a deep-dive. We designed it to be very interactive, to spark their interest. We touch on lots topics and give them a comprehensive overview of the profession. Through exposure, we’re hoping to help students find the right career path, even if it’s architecture adjacent.
What was the outcome you wanted for the students?
Bryany Burke (BB): I wanted them to learn more about the practice of architecture, and to know what questions to ask so they would feel more prepared when they apply for school. They had some great questions – they asked about which schools to apply for, what a good portfolio looks like, what the classes are like, and more. It was so gratifying to see how interested and engaged they were.
Danann De Alba (DDA): I wanted them to have fun and learn by doing. I helped organize an AI demonstration and a bridge-building competition made from dried spaghetti. We measured the strength of the bridges by stacking tile on top. The strongest bridge held almost 40 tiles – I was so impressed! These activities taught the students what it entails to build a structure and to be creative, and they were fun – there was a lot of laughter, and even a few high-fives!
Kenny Endo (KE): I wanted to give them insight on what architecture means in terms of sustainability. Architecture doesn’t always mean designing a new, ground-up building. I showed them a different side of architecture by presenting adaptive reuse. They were inspired by the idea that adaptive reuse can preserve the memory of a space, and simultaneously gives it a new lease on life.
What did you find rewarding?
Richard Klaja (RK): I walked the students through a typical project. We talked about the architectural phases and looked at physical drawings, materials and photos. They loved seeing the progression of the project. The last time I participated in Arch Camp, it was virtual, during the pandemic. I noticed a big difference in engagement this time, being in-person. It felt good seeing how interested they were, and that they were comfortable enough to ask a lot of questions.
Drew Curran (DC): Sharing your passion with someone is invigorating. Spending time giving back, inspiring, clarifying, and trying to pass down the advice and information was rewarding. I didn’t have an architecture class in high school and didn’t know what the profession would look like. It would have been very useful to have an experience like this before applying to college. It felt good knowing we gave them a realistic view.
BB: I’m super into mentorship. In school and early in my early career, it felt like women and people of color in architecture were underrepresented and sometimes invisible. As a woman in this field, earning credibility and respect was a big motivation for me to get my architecture license. I always find it rewarding to share what I’ve learned and help people reach their goals. I hope our diverse team of presenters showed the students that an architect can be anyone who puts their mind to it.
How can students participate next year?
If you would like to participate next year, please contact us through our Arch Camp page and follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for updates. We hold the event each summer and begin the recruiting process towards the end of the school year. We hope you will join us!
Written by
Wendy Osaki
Article Contributors
Bryany Burke, Drew Curran, Danann De Alba, Kenny Endo, Alek Hernandez, Richard Klaja, Phoebe Lam, Sarah Mergy
WDA Arch Camp Presenters & Moderators
Sebastien Alfaiate, Bryany Burke, Drew Curran, Danann De Alba, Kenny Endo, Emily Gallivan, Alek Hernandez, Richard Klaja, Phoebe Lam, Sarah Mergy, David K. Plotkin