Discover 2025
Professor John Clark and his team give us a deeper dive into our program!
“Students in Discover Architecture 2025 participated in an intensive workshop where they were exposed to a variety of aspects of architectural culture and work over the course of a week. Students learned to look with intention at architecture around campus through a series of tours and sketching exercises. Basics of design, composition, and representation were introduced through the first project where students created walls from folded paper modules. Photographs of these models were then traced over to add context and to consider different scales in the form of drawings. Another exercise had students work in teams to make 1:1 plans on the floor of Temple Buell Hall of 4 different contemporary houses out of colorful tape. This allows students to learn about drawings, but also to spatially experience the scale of these contemporary houses. Students then considered the structural aspects of design through the production of spaghetti and hot glue bridges. These constructions were eventually tested with weights until the point of failure to learn about truss design and construction methods. Students and staff went on a field trip to Columbus Indiana to visit the midwestern mecca of midcentury modern architecture for a day. Students had a tour of the Miller House by Eero Saarinen and multiple other significant architectural projects around town, including First Christian Church, North Christian Church, and the Bartholomew County Public Library. Students then celebrated the week of projects though mounting an exhibition of their work on the final morning of the camp.”
-Professor John Clark
Discover Architecture 2024 Summer Program Students
Discover Architecture 2024
“Students of the Discover Architecture 2024 summer program had an intensive week from July 14-20 being exposed to the world of architecture while creating their first projects as design students. Students practiced a design process in which they made modules of cut and folded paper that were assembled into a screen wall. They breathed life into the designs through traced overlay perspectives. Students collaborated together on the production of 1:1 scale plans in colored tape of four contemporary house projects on the floor of the TBH atrium to understand scale and space of these precedents. Students then worked in groups to build bridges out of spaghetti and hot glue before testing their strength with weights. The field trip this year consisted of a day in St. Louis exploring UNESCO world heritage site Cahokia Mounds, the City Museum, and the Wainwright Building to give students a glimpse at three different slices of architectural history, life, and legacy along the Mississippi River.”
-Professor John Clark
Discover Architecture 2024 Summer Program Students
Discover Architecture 2026
The 2026 program, from July 12 – July 18, 2026, is held in person on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The program is organized around the design studio and provides a studio-focused, design-intensive workshop over the course of the week. Students learn such through making as they explore introductory drawing and modeling. They also receive a picture of what to expect from life as an architecture student and an architect. This residential program introduces students to campus and includes travel to one of the Midwest’s most notable architectural landmarks. If you’re intent on studying architecture or just wondering if the discipline might be for you, Discover Architecture will offer a foundational experience that assists prospective students to enter an undergraduate program in Architecture.
This program is open to rising sophomores through seniors.
For further information, please contact La Tanya Cobb, Associate Director for Student Services, at architecture@illinois.edu.
Program Fee: $1100 (includes lodging and meals)
Application Opening Date: November 1, 2025
Application Due Date: When full
Kenneth Jacobs Memorial Scholarship
Kenneth Jacobs Memorial Scholarship
The Kenneth Jacobs Memorial Scholarship provides partial tuition for two students attending the summer program, Discover Architecture, in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Established in 2011, The Kenneth Jacobs Memorial Scholarship is supported through funds from the Kenneth Jacobs Memorial Fund in honor of Kenneth Jacobs (BArch 1958). Kenneth Jacobs graduated from the University of Illinois with his Bachelor of Architecture in 1958. Ken loved art, culture and architecture and spending time with creative people. He spent most of his career developing and designing shopping centers, always looking for new and interesting ways to collaborate with other artists. Ken truly enjoyed helping young architects get started in the business, and he was a mentor and cheerleader for many. Sadly, we lost Ken to pancreatic cancer in 2007, and we hope that his inspiration will live on through this memorial fund.
Eligibility/Requirements
Students interested in participating in Discover Architecture are eligible to apply for the Kenneth Memorial Scholarship. To be considered, students must first apply to the Discover Architecture summer program. In addition, students must submit a one-page essay (double-spaced) explaining their reasons for becoming an architect and their goals for the future. For consideration students must have paid the $100 non-refundable fee and submitted their essay by the application deadline.
Cancellation Policy
Given the nature of our program, the University of Illinois School of Architecture incurs substantial non-recoverable costs and expenses in planning, preparing and pre-paying for the Discover Summer Program. There will be no refunds or credits offered for canceling, missed days or partial attendance. By registering for the camp, participants agree to abide by this cancellation policy.
Registration for Discover Architecture 2025 is now closed.
