Open to creative individuals, inspired professionals, and current college students and graduates, Making+Meaning is a four-week career exploration and portfolio building summer studio program that introduces students to architectural experimentation and transformative design techniques in a unique and lively studio setting
Coordinator: William Virgil (M.Arch 2, '16)
Making+Meaning exposes participants to a wide range of tools and techniques that integrate digital representation, architectural design, and fabrication methods, culminating in a public exhibition where students present their design work and receive feedback from noted architects and design professionals.
June 30 - July 25, 2025
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“Whether you are looking for a career change or a break from everyday monotony, Making+Meaning provides a medium that introduces the participants to creative tools that indulge curious minds. The tools and techniques learned during the program equip students with the necessary skillsets to navigate our digital and physical worlds through design. Students and professionals from all over the world are welcome to 'play' this game of simulation and alternative realities—all while experiencing design at SCI-Arc.”
The Making+Meaning program is an avenue for individuals interested in learning about architecture and design to jumpstart a profession in the field, expand existing skills, or inform a possible shift in career. No previous architectural experience is required to enroll.
Beginning with a series of assignments that teach students design fundamentals, Making+Meaning projects rapidly increase in complexity and scale through hands-on production using various analog techniques and design software, from hand-built paper models to Rhino, Adobe Creative Suite, photographic documentation, 3D-scanning, and augmented reality visualization.
During four weeks of intensive workshops in design, fabrication, and portfolio compilation, as well as guest lectures and site visits, Making+Meaning students have 24-hour access to their own personal studio spaces. Participants also leverage the cutting-edge capabilities of SCI-Arc’s state-of-the-art fabrication facilities including the Magic Box, Robot House, and Fabrication Shop, which house laser cutters, 3D scanners, 3D printers, CNC mills, multiple 6-axis robotic arms, and industrial-grade metal and woodworking machinery. The school's fabrication facilities collectively form one of the largest and most advanced at an architecture institution in the US. Expert staff assist students in their work throughout the program.
Mirroring an architecture studio experience, students receive critical guidance and feedback from SCI-Arc faculty and distinguished visiting lecturers in the development of their projects, which provides participants with diverse perspectives and experienced insights on design problems while generating a portfolio of creative work. During desk crits and pin-ups, faculty help students articulate their ideas through various mediums and processes and challenge them to expand their range of production with design experimentation.
Through regular lectures and presentations by leading architects and designers, as well as weekly guided tours to landmark architectural sites in Los Angeles, students gain a contemporary familiarity with the expansive and historic architecture and design culture of Los Angeles.
Weekly portfolio workshops that introduce layout design and material formatting compilation strategies are an integral part of Making+Meaning, equipping students with the knowledge and tools to present their body of work in a compelling manner. Students complete the program with a fully developed creative portfolio, a critical component of any career in architecture and design.
Making+Meaning culminates in an exhibition showcasing the work completed during the program where students present their projects to a panel comprised of some of the top architects, critics, and theorists in Los Angeles.
Making+Meaning is equivalent to 3 units. Students who enroll in the M.Arch 1 program at SCI-Arc after completing Making+Meaning can receive credit for one Visual Studies (VS) elective course.
