Architecture in the City

Day Camp: June 23 – June 27, 2025*

Overnight Camp: July 19 – July 26, 2025* 

CU Denver, College of Architecture and Planning

*Summer 2025 camps are full. You can add yourself to the  waitlist. If you don’t get in this summer, waitlisted students will be the first notified of Summer 2026 camp registration.

Architecture in the City is a summer, noncredit program offered by the College of Architecture and Planning. This is an interdisciplinary program designed for students entering their sophomore, junior and senior year of high school in Fall 2025. The camps will give participants the opportunity for a hands-on experience in model building and drawing techniques while exposing them to architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, and urban planning through a design build project.

Day Camp: This commuter program will be held at the College of Architecture and Planning, Monday - Friday. Ideal for rising Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors. Previous architecture and design experience not required.

Example Schedule

Overnight Camp: This Saturday - Saturday camp will be held at the College of Architecture and Planning, with housing provided at the City Heights Residential Hall on the CU Denver Campus. Ideal for rising Juniors and Seniors, participants of the ACE Mentor Program, or students with some exposure to architecture and design.

Example Schedule

Program Highlights

Both Camps

• Program led by experienced College of Architecture and Planning faculty, student teaching assistants, and licensed architects
• Sketch and build models
• Work in architectural design software
• Design, plan, and fabricate a project (all materials will be provided)
• Visit firms and project sites
• Meet and work with students from all over Colorado and the U.S.

 Day Camp

• Lunch and snacks provided
• Sessions running from 9am – 5pm

 Overnight Camp

• Accompanied transport to and from Denver International Airport to the City Heights Residential Hall (if students arrive on July 19th by 1pm and depart on July 26th by 1pm. Flights and transport must be arranged by each family.)
• Housing and all meals at the City Heights Residential Hall
• Excursions to Red Rocks and Lookout Mountain, Meow Wolf and other after-hours activities

Registration

Day Camp: Registration is $750 per student, including a $100 non-refundable deposit. Payment is due at registration.

Overnight Camp: Registration is $2,000 per student, including a $150 non-refundable deposit. Payment is due at registration. 

Scholarships

Each camp has one scholarship available to cover the full cost of registration. Students will be selected based on financial need and an essay. Apply for scholarships here.

Scholarship Deadline: February 15th

All applicants will be notified of their award status by March 1. If you are awarded the scholarship, you will receive a code to complete the registration at no cost.

Program Sponsors

FAQs

We are hiring for student positions for all of CAP’s Summer Camps (in addition to the Architecture in the City Camp. See job postings for all dates). The Counselor positions are open to all CU Denver students; Teaching Assistant positions are open to CAP students. The deadline to apply for these positions is March 15. 

• Teaching Assistants (TA’s)
• Counselors 

Apply for camp position here!

Please contact Jeana.Delamarter@ucdenver.edu if you have any questions.

Support Architecture in the City

Your support enables us to continue providing a high-quality camp experience while impacting budding designers, architects and planners! Sponsorship opportunities include providing funding for student scholarships, meals, site visit transportation, building materials, and more. Sponsors will be featured on the camp website and camp materials. All gifts to summer camps are tax-deductible. 

See the feedback from former students who participated in the Architecture in the City camp:

“Having the hands-on learning and seeing multiple perspectives from the different instructors was amazing.”

“I liked seeing all the firms and learning about them. I liked taking something from an idea and developing it.”

“My favorite part of camp was doing sketches. Architecture isn’t just designing, but storytelling as well.”