Architecture & Design - Oxford

Course Description: Architecture & Design - Oxford

Programme Overview:

The Oxford Architecture & Design Summer School Programme for ages 16-18 provides design ideas to life at one of the richest artistic and architectural locations in the world. At the Architecture Summer School, students will apply the core principles of architecture, including planning, design and spatial mapping as they fast track their future to becoming a world-class architect.

Students will immerse themselves into the University of Oxford's buildings, colleges, art collections and museums, observing ‘case studies’ which illustrate the development of art and architecture in Europe between the Roman and Norman Conquests, to the architecture of the University in the 20th and 21st centuries. They complete the Summer School by producing a range of architectural drawings and build their professional portfolio as they practice technical drawing and model construction in both manual and digital formats.

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*� Location:

The programme is delivered at one of the Oxford University Colleges. Located in the heart of Oxford, the campuses provides a secure, modern, and inspiring environment, with easy access to Oxford's iconic colleges, museums, and libraries.

Students are allocated to different colleges, depending on age and programme. Colleges used for the Oxford summer programmes include: Balliol College, The Queen's College, St Peter's college.

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What’s Included:

✔️ 2-week full-board residential stay in Oxford ✔️ 24/7 on-campus student care and supervision ✔️ Daily academic workshops, lectures, and project labs ✔️ Graduation ceremony and end-of-program celebration ✔️ Guest speakers, leadership mentoring, and cultural programming ✔️ Course materials, progress report & certificate ✔️ Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included for 12-15, Breakfast & Dinner included for 16-18,✔️ Accommodation included ✔️ International student cohort with 170+ nationalities

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*� Academic Experience:

• Develop observational and technical drawing and scale modelling skills

• Gain an overview of architectural history from Ancient Greece to the present day, including the latest trend and discourse surrounding our constructed environments

• Explore local buildings and urban environs, treating these as architectural case studies

• Examine the variety of pathways available to early career architects

• Gain an understanding of the level of ambition and commitment that is expected of architecture undergraduates

• Learn to respond to constructive criticism of their work productively and professionally as they develop their architectural portfolios

• Articulate ideas effectively as they present on an urban planning project at the end of the programme

• Learn about sustainable design in the context of climate change and other existential risks

• Work on an industry-grade project, putting theories surrounding the modern built environment as they design their own ‘City of the Future’

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A typical weekday

Our Architecture & Design Summer Course in Oxford for ages 16-18 looks like this:

• 8AM: Students wake up for breakfast on campus before heading to lessons

• 9AM: Morning lessons, with two short breaks

• 1PM: Lunch break for students to buy food and explore the city with friends

• 2PM: Afternoon lessons

• 3:30PM: Architectural drawing workshop

• 6PM: Dinner on campus

• 7PM: Study support sessions

• 8PM: Public Speaking and Debate Society

• 9PM: Social activities such as quiz nights, movie nights or karaoke

• 10:30PM: Curfew

Guest Speakers from Previous Summers:

• Simon Morris - Chief Creative Officer at Amazon: He co-founded and built the brand LOVEFiLM, eventually to become Amazon Prime, prior to joining Amazon as the worldwide creative lead. The first person to be made Chief Creative Officer of the company, he has received many accolades in recognition for his achievements, including an Emmy nomination in recognition of his innovative Alexa Super Bowl campaign, and acknowledgement from the Vatican for his Christmas 2016 Amazon Commercial.

• Jason Bradbury - Presenter, Author: A British television presenter and children’s author, well-known for presenting the Channel 5 series The Gadget Show.. Some of his own DIY gadgets include the first ‘phone glove’, a vehicle Head-Up Display, and a hovercraft made from only a car wheel and an industrial sized fan..

• Helen Sharman - Astronaut, Scientist: Pioneer, role model, science communicator and world-class inspirational speaker, Helen became the first British Astronaut in May 1991, aged 27, when she spent 8 days orbiting the Earth. Chosen out of 13,000 people, Helen underwent rigorous training and preparation for her orbit, and now inspires others with her story.

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✈️ Airport Transfers

Available for an additional fee: London Heathrow – £215 one-way (includes: meet & greet, flight tracking, hotline, full supervision, unaccompanied minor service if required)

Flight windows:

• Arrivals: Between 06:00–18:00 BST

• Departures: Between 08:00–22:00 BST

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*� Graduation & Certificate:

Students receive a certificate of completion and a formal academic report from their course leader during the graduation ceremony. Presentations and Innovation Charters are shared with fellow students, families, and staff during a final celebration in a prestigious Oxford venue.

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This provider contracts with institutions, including the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London in the UK and Yale and Barnard College, Columbia in the USA for the use of their facilities, and also contracts with tutors from those institutions, but does not operate under the aegis of the University of Oxford or those other institutions.