SUMMER STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTED ENVIRONMENTS

The Summer Program in Constructed Environments is a five-week summer program intended for current college students and college graduates of any age interested in investigating and preparing for a career in architecture, interior design, or lighting design. This rigorous studio-based program initiates students in all aspects of architectural education including design, drawing, digital representation and computer skills, architectural analysis, and design history and theory.

Exhibition Summer Studies in Architecture 2007 Photo: Laura Lyon

Coursework
The program provides a comprehensive syllabus designed to prepare applicants for admission to professional degree programs (M. Arch or MFA in Interior Design or Lighting Design) at Parsons and other competitive graduate schools. The curriculum is divided into three-hour morning workshops in drawing & digital representation and the history & theory of architecture in New York City, and four-hour afternoon sessions in the design studio. Students work closely together and with the faculty, using New York City and its greater region as a context for understanding architecture’s role in the built environment and its relationship to sustainability and globalism.

Parsons is situated close to the Architecture Center, the Museum of Modern Art, the Storefront for Art and Architecture, and the Chelsea art gallery district. Site visits to these institutions, as well as to local architecture offices are an important part of the curriculum. Students participate in weekly site visits or walking tours to sites of architectural significance in New York City.

Faculty
The faculty is made up of respected professional architects and scholars drawn from the professional and academic ranks of New York City’s international design community. All summer program instructors are members of Parsons faculty, and are supported by senior-level graduate teaching assistants.

Campus and Classroom
Located in the heart of Union Square and situated within Parsons The New School for Design, the School of Constructed Environments is an internationally recognized center for the study of the built environment. Its small size, atelier atmosphere, and urban environment support a unique and collegial context for the pursuit of professional and pre-professional education in architecture, interior design, and lighting. Classes take place in our large open-plan loft studios located at 25 East 13th Street. 

College Credit
Students who successfully complete the Summer Studies in Constructed Environments program earn four undergraduate college credits.

Supplies
Students are expected to provide their own art supplies. A list of required and recommended materials is distributed by the faculty for each course. Expenses for most courses are estimated at $400. Lockers are provided for storage during the program.

Registration
Registration for Summer Studies in Constructed Environments begins in late fall. Visit Registration for more details. Early registration is advised.