Summer Springboard
Middle School Junior Architecture
IN BERKELEY

THIS PROGRAM COMBINES ACADEMIC COURSES, INTERACTIVE LABS, AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO GIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS A SUPPORTIVE, FUN, AND ENRICHING SUMMER EXPERIENCE.
THIS IS A ONE-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE YOU’LL FOCUS ON ONE COURSE FOR THE ENTIRE DURATION.
Middle School Junior Architecture in Berkeley
- Experience the mindset and process of an architect through hands-on design challenges that transform ideas into real, inhabitable spaces.
- Design, draw, and build your own Dream Home while learning essential architectural principles such as structure, scale, site, and sustainability.
- Visit professionals and explore real world architecture on field trips around the Bay Area.
- Be inspired by Berkeley’s architectural history and urban designStrengthen creative problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and visual communication skills through guided projects and studio-style learning.
- Discover how architecture influences communities and daily life while gaining confidence and creative expression in a collaborative studio setting.
Summer Springboard
Middle School Junior Architecture
About This Course
Discover the world of architecture in Summer Springboard’s Junior Architecture program, where students explore how creative ideas are transformed into spaces that can be drawn, built, and experienced. In this engaging program, students step into the role of architects, learning how buildings are conceived, designed, and realized. Through hands-on activities, design challenges, and guided projects, students learn to observe and think like architects while examining how design influences spaces, communities, and everyday life.
Participants will design, draw, and construct their own Dream Home while exploring foundational architectural concepts such as structure, scale, site, and sustainability. Along the way, students build skills in creative problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and visual communication. Open to students of all experience levels, the program encourages confidence, curiosity, and creativity within a supportive, studio-based learning environment. Students leave with completed projects to share and a greater understanding of the built world around them.
A student tuition supplement includes drafting tools, sketchbooks, and drawing materials for students to keep.
TOPICS YOU'LL EXPLORE
Hands-on Learning
Students will have the opportunity to engage with highly accomplished specialists in this field. Hands-on learning is experienced through company visits in and around the incredible Bay Area. Outside of course specific studies the students will explore all that Berkeley has to offer! With so much rich history, breathtaking sights, parks and famed landmarks at our fingertips there is something for everyone to discover!
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.
“The program’s curriculum was thoughtfully designed, combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on practical exercises and studio work. We had access to valuable resources and received guidance from renowned faculty members who fostered a supportive and collaborative learning environment. Engaging in stimulating discussions, exploring innovative design concepts, and participating in architectural field trips enriched the experience further.”
– Liyah A. | SSB Architecture Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Middle School Junior Architecture
Meet Your Instructor
Hara Chung is an architectural design professional, educated at the Mackintosh School of Architecture (UK) with extensive professional experience in both commercial and residential design. She has contributed to high-profile projects for nationally recognized companies including CBRE, Lyft, and HP, as well as dozens of custom homes throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Hara’s design philosophy centers on creating spaces that are both beautiful and practical—balancing creativity with real-world considerations such as how people move, live, and interact within a space. Her work reflects a strong belief that good design should be intentional, human-centered, and accessible.
Her professional background allows her to introduce students to architecture not just as an art, but as a thoughtful and purposeful discipline that combines creativity, logic, and problem-solving. Students are encouraged to think critically, ask questions, and understand how ideas translate into real buildings.
Passionate about education and mentorship, Hara has taught at Quimby Oak School on student-led projects such as School of the Future and has been invited to participate in design critiques at West Valley College. She enjoys guiding young students through the fundamentals of architectural design, helping them build confidence in drawing, spatial thinking, and creative expression. Her teaching approach emphasizes encouragement, clarity, and hands-on learning, ensuring students leave the program with a strong sense of accomplishment and a tangible design project they can be proud of.
HARA CHUNG

“It was a fun experience where I met lots of friends and got a feel for what college will be like.”
-J. Sander | Alumni Student
Summer Springboard
Middle School Junior Architecture
Dates & Tuition
| 2026 Dates |
|---|
| Session 1: July 5 – July 10, 2026 |
| Session 2: July 12 – July 17, 2026 |
| Session 3: July 19 – July 24, 2026 |
| Session 4: July 26 – July 31, 2026 |
Click here to enroll in this course using our online enrollment form.
| Tuition |
|---|
| Residential Tuition: $2,998 |
| Commuter Tuition: $1,598 |
| Supplement: $250 |
Tuition Protection Plan: Allows for cancellation for any reason up until the day of the program.
| Location |
|---|
| City: Berkeley |
| State: California |
| Campus: Berkeley |
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.








