Summer Springboard

Architecture

ON THE CAMPUS OF BARNARD COLLEGE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

DISCOVER YOUR PATH IN ARCHITECTURE BY EXPLORING ICONIC DESIGNS AND BUILDINGS IN NEW YORK CITY AND SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL IN THE FIELD

Architecture @ Barnard College

  •  Develop a proposal for a new downtown building by working through all the steps in the process, from drawings to computer assisted designs.
  • Design buildings, select materials and analyze the sustainability impact as you perform hands-on design simulations
  • Prepare a portfolio of your final presentation, including hand drawings and digital scale models
  • Visit professional firms and tour behind the scenes of local attractions to see the best examples of various architectural styles

Summer Springboard

Architecture

About This Course

An architecture program for teens on a university campus in New York City

Are you thinking about a future in architecture or design? Whether you’re actively building your college application and portfolio, or simply curious about what it’s like to be an architect, the Summer Springboard Architecture Course at Barnard College offers a dynamic and immersive experience.

This course introduces foundational architectural concepts, design principles, and problem-solving methods related to the built environment—all within a collaborative, studio-style setting. As you work on a hands-on design project, you’ll gain insight into the academic journey toward an architecture degree, explore the daily responsibilities of architects, and learn about the wide range of career paths available in the field. This is the perfect opportunity to see if architecture is the right fit for you while building valuable skills for your future.

TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE

Hands-on Learning

In this immersive architecture course, students will design a proposal for a new downtown building, guiding their project from initial sketches to computer-assisted designs. Through interactive design simulations, they’ll select materials, plan structures, and analyze sustainability impacts. Students will compile a professional portfolio that includes hand-drawn concepts and digital scale models of their final presentation. The experience is enriched with visits to top architecture firms and behind-the-scenes tours of local landmarks, offering real-world exposure to diverse architectural styles and career opportunities.

Career Exploration

This course provides a chance to explore a career in architecture, guiding students through designing a downtown building from sketches to digital models with a focus on materials and sustainability. Students create a professional portfolio and gain insight into architects’ daily work through visits to leading firms and tours of local landmarks. Past students have explored renowned studios like Obra Architects, KPF Architects, Transsolar, and Bone-Levine, learning how innovation and sustainability shape the field. This experience helps students decide if architecture is the right career path while building essential skills.

RESOURCES

Course Infosheet

Click here to view or download the printable infosheet for this course.

Program Catalog

Click here to request our catalog to learn more about our summer programs and courses.

Campus Page

Click here to view the website page for this campus and learn more.

“Summer Springboard was great, not just because it’s a pre-college program, but because it allows students to experience independence in exploring the city, attending career classes, and having our own dorm life!”

-Erica P. | Alumni Student

Summer Springboard

Architecture

Meet Your Instructor

Guido Zuliani is an architect and an educator. He graduated summa cum laude from the Università IUAV di Venezia in the summer of 1980. In 1982 he became a registered architect. After graduation Mr. Zuliani began his academic work as a researcher at the Dipartimento di Progettazione Edilizia of the Università IUAV di Venezia where he remained until 1985. In the fall of that year Mr. Zuliani moved to New York and began to teach at The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at The Cooper Union where is he currently a Distinguished Professor in Architecture. At Cooper Mr. Zuliani has taught Design Studios, Architectural History, and Seminars in the Theory and History of Architecture.

In 2003 Mr. Zuliani founded AZstudio, where as a principal he has collaborated with various firms in the US and Italy. His projects include a competition entry for the High-Speed Line Railway Station of Napoli Afragola (2003); an entry, selected as a design finalist, for the New Judicial Complex for the City of Trento (2005); a commission for the design of the New Railway Station of Pompei-Santuario in Pompei (2007); a master plan for the coastal line of the city of Pozzuoli and for regenerating the former industrial area of Pirelli-Sofer (2007 – 2009); a prize-winning project for New Typologies of Social Housing for the city of Mestre (2009); and a 150,000 sq. ft. residential building in Milan, featured in the architectural guides Milan Architecture 1945-2015 (2015) and Milan Architecture: The City and Expo (2016).

GUIDO ZULIANI

“I enjoyed my experience at Summer Springboard. It was hands on and gave me a great understanding of what I want to do moving forward. I got to work with a college professor and meet great friends.”

-Bianca H. | Alumni Student

Summer Springboard

Architecture

Dates & Tuition

2025 Dates
Session 1: July 6 – July 18, 2025
Session 2: July 20 – August 1, 2025

Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.

Tuition
 Residential Tuition: $5,898
 Commuter Tuition: $3,298

Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.

Location
 City: New York City
 State: New York
Campus: Barnard College

Summer Springboard programs are not run by our campus partners (with the exception of Cal Poly and NYSID which are run in partnership with SSB). Universities and their affiliated departments and partners do not control and are not responsible or liable in any manner for any part of the Summer Springboard program.