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College of Design

Weekend Workshops

The Design Lab offers Weekend Workshops for high school students at our Design Lab studio here at the College of Design. Our workshops are brief, immersive design education experiences, offering a wide range of opportunities for teens interested in design. From skill-building to design thinking to concept-based projects to interdisciplinary design mash-ups and more, our talented instructors guide students in developing knowledge and experience in their focus area. Please continue to visit our website from time to time to learn about new workshops and programs we’re offering.

Fall 2025 // Weekend Workshops

Registration is NOW open. See link below.

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The Design Lab is excited to offer seven in-person Weekend Workshops this fall for high school students. Each workshop will take place on Saturdays from 9:00am – 4:00pm with lunch at noon. See the weekend workshop schedule below. Students can register any time between October and one week in advance of each workshop, and students can register for as many weekend workshops as they are interested in.

Workshops will introduce students to design thinking and the design process through challenge-based activities. Through these workshops, students will have the opportunity to develop a better understanding of our designed world and find answer to these questions: What is design? How do designers think?

Please send questions to designlab_k12@ncsu.edu. Thanks!

October 25 // Media Arts, Design and Technology

Media Arts, Design and Technology // From Sketching to Swimming: 3D Fish Character Design in Blender

Ready to dive into the world of 3D design? In this hands-on workshop, you’ll start by brainstorming and sketching your own original fish-inspired characters. Then, using Blender (one of the top tools in animation, film, and game design) you’ll learn beginner-friendly techniques to bring your 2D sketches to life in 3D. No experience required, just creativity and curiosity! This workshop is perfect for aspiring digital artists and designers.

This workshop will be stackable with a follow-up workshop in Spring 2026 in which we will learn to animate these characters you create! Stay tuned and come along for the journey.

  • Grade Range: 9th – 12th Grade
  • Total Seats: 20
  • Cost: $75

Instructor // Lydia S.

Hello, I’m Lydia! I’m a recent graduate of the Media Arts, Design and Technology Program. I’m a 3D digital artist professionally, but I enjoy both physical and digital design work. From painting, to garment construction, to 3D and 2D animation; I’m a generalist, a designer of all kinds. I love entertainment media because it is the intersection of all things, and incorporates all disciplines of design into one product. If one can become fluent in the language of visual design and storytelling, they can make media that people fall in love with. If you love thought-provoking stories that are well told through visual media, you are in the right place.

Some of my favorite media includes Arcane, the Bear, Scavenger’s Reign, Wes Anderson’s Stop Motion films (and Grand Budapest Hotel), and Severance.

October 25 // Architecture

Architecture // Collage Constructs

Discover how architects begin shaping ideas through the fundamentals of line, plane, and mass. In this workshop, you’ll engage in a project similar to those introduced in the first year of college architecture studies, where collage and model-making are used to spark design concepts. Guided by precedent studies, you’ll explore how abstract compositions can evolve into spatial constructs, moving from two-dimensional collages to three-dimensional models.

Along the way, you’ll learn how architects use collage as a tool for inspiration and iteration, translating early conceptual moves into designs that carry through the entire architectural process and even informing materials and details. This workshop emphasizes observation, iteration, and craftsmanship through hands-on, analog methods that mirror architects’ design process.

  • Grade Range: 9th – 12th Grade
  • Total Seats: 20
  • Cost: $90

Instructor // Lira G.

Hello everyone! My name is Lira and I am from Cary, North Carolina. I’m a recent graduate of the Master’s of Advanced Architectural Studies program at NC State University where I conducted research about terroir and architecture inspired by my study abroad in Italy during my undergraduate years. I enjoy working with the process of design through collage, diagrams, and colorful graphics. Iterating on ideas is a vital part of the design process and embracing diverse approaches creates comprehensive learning and understanding.

November 8 // Media Arts, Design and Technology

Media Arts, Design and Technology // Choose Your Fighter! Character Design Basics

Great stories start with unforgettable characters. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to give your characters personality and depth through visual storytelling. We’ll explore character archetypes and design techniques to help you bring your ideas to life. By the end, you’ll have your own character sheet filled with sketches and designs to take home and further develop if you wish.

For students interested in animation, these character sheets can be used as direct references in my Spring 2026 2D Animation workshop, where we will animate walk cycles using characters of your choice!

  • Grade Range: 9th – 12th Grade
  • Total Seats: 20
  • Cost: $75

Instructor // Sophie G.

Hi! I’m Sophie G., a recent graduate from the College of Design, Media Arts, Design and Technology program with a concentration in Animation. I think of storytelling as the most creative way of connecting and communicating with the people and the world around us, and there’s an endless amount of ways to do it. I enjoy telling stories that bring people together and encourage us to listen, learn, and keep growing. Animation happens to be my favorite way of doing this!

November 8 // Industrial Design

Industrial Design // Fold & Behold: Transformational Furniture for Small Spaces

What if your desk could transform into something more? In this Industrial Design workshop, you’ll explore how movement, mechanisms, and multifunctionality can reshape the way we think about furniture. Starting with an investigation of different motion types, you’ll discover how interconnected parts work together to create seamless transformations.

From there, you’ll brainstorm, sketch, and prototype your own scale model of a space-saving design. In the context of a small living space, such as a college dorm room, you will reimagine the “rules” of furniture design to create entirely new solutions for compact living. Along the way, you’ll practice the industrial designer’s process of ideation, iteration, and hands-on prototyping, all while tackling the real-world challenge of designing for small spaces.

  • Grade Range: 9th – 12th Grade
  • Total Seats: 20
  • Cost: $90

Instructor // Emma K.

Hi, I’m Emma Kalish! I’m a graduate of NC State University’s College of Design, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design. I attended ELISAVA School of Design & Engineering in Barcelona while studying abroad where I continued to learn about product, furniture, and packaging design. Currently residing in Raleigh, I work as a freelance graphic and product designer for local companies. With a strong foundation in design thinking, project management, and product design, I am enthusiastic about teaching workshops where I can share my knowledge and connect with young designers.

November 15 // Graphic & Experience Design

Graphic & Experience Design // Creating Conversations Without Words

How can designers communicate ideas without relying on text or images? In this workshop, you’ll explore the building blocks of graphic design including hierarchy, layout, and color to create bold, wordless posters that speak for themselves. Drawing inspiration from studies in abstraction, you’ll see how subtle shifts in color and arrangement can change the way a viewer perceives meaning. By focusing on these fundamental building blocks, you will discover how design can capture attention, convey emotion, and spark conversation without a single word.

  • Grade Range: 9th – 12th Grade
  • Total Seats: 20
  • Cost: $75

Instructor // Jimmy R.J.

I’m Jimmy Ramirez Jaco Jr, a Latin graphic designer based out of Raleigh, NC. I’m passionate about creating meaningful and lasting experiences for users through my work. My work tends to lean itself towards the blending of culture and design, where I always encourage students and designers to put a part of themselves in their work. My skills range from traditional graphic design such as layout, print, and logos to more modern experience design with prototyping, speculative design and user interfaces.

All that is to say that I design for a lot of mediums and audiences, but use my skills as a graphic designer to tackle each problem thrown at me to serve the end user the best way I can. While I love all the rules that go into creating good “graphic design”, I also love breaking those rules and having fun, but most importantly making design weird.

November 22 // Media Arts, Design and Technology

Media Arts, Design and Technology // Storyboards and Stanzas

Step into the role of a storyboard artist and bring poetry to life through visual storytelling! In this workshop you will learn the essentials of visual storytelling including scene composition, camera angles, and narrative pacing as you translate a famous poem into a sequence of images.Then, take your storyboard a step further by layering in sound and timing to create a short animatic that brings your vision to life. Along the way, you’ll see how storyboarding functions as a powerful planning tool across film, animation, and design. Come join us in discovering your own creative voice at the intersection of words and images.

  • Grade Range: 9th – 12th Grade
  • Total Seats: 20
  • Cost: $75

Instructor // Emilie T.M.

Hey there! I’m Emilie, and I’m a visual storyteller specializing in comics with a BA in MADTech from NC State University and a MFA in Comics at the California College of the Arts. When I’m not teaching 2D Design as well as Art Appreciation at Wake Technical Community College, I’m working with my literary agent to get my graphic novels published and looking for opportunities to share the joy of storytelling with others to help them create their own compelling visual narratives!

December 6 // Architecture

Architecture // Tiny Impact: Designing Compact Living for Real-World Challenges

How can architecture help solve real-world problems like the housing crisis? In this workshop, you’ll take on the role of an architect to design housing solutions that are affordable, functional, and creative. Students will be designing in response to specific needs of an assigned user who is affected by the housing crisis. Along the way, you’ll learn key architectural concepts like scale, form, circulation, and craftsmanship while building your own small-scale prototype.

This is a chance to think critically, design with purpose, and see how architecture can make a real difference.

  • Grade Range: 9th – 12th Grade
  • Total Seats: 20
  • Cost: $90

Instructor // Tanighya A.

Hello ! My name is Tanighya Alvin . I am a current graduate student here at NC State for the Masters (Track 3) Architecture Program. I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Architecture along with minors in African American and Diaspora Studies and Consumer, Apparel , and Retail Studies from UNC Greensboro.

When it comes to Architecture I found that I have a strong interest in community development. Developing spaces that are inclusive , responsive , have a positive impact on different demographics in the community, and implements the cultural identity of the community. My passion for community based design was fueled by an internship that I did which focused on address a housing crisis that was occurring within the Greensboro area. Creating tiny houses for the homeless and lower income communities in the area is what I focused on. That Internship had pushed me to consider how a design could impact a community and what steps I could make as a designer to make even the smallest change.

I enjoy teaching others about how much of an impact Architecture can make and how even as a designer a something sublet can creates a major changes. In my leisure I like to travel, build miniature houses , spend time with family , and try new foods,

Prior to Registering, Please Read the Following:

Registration Process and Policies

  • Registration will open in October 2025.
  • The registration fee for each online workshop ranges from $75 – $100. Payment is due upon registration. Students may register for multiple weekend workshops at a time, but SHOULD only register for one workshop per Saturday. All forms and payment must be completed in order for registration to be finalized. 
  • Registration will remain open for each workshop up until 5 calendar days prior to its date (ie. registration will close for a workshop on the Monday prior to when it’s being held). 
  • Those who have completed registration and payment will receive a confirmation email immediately. And all registrants will receive an email at least 5 business days prior to the start of their workshop with further information on procedures and protocols.
  • Each workshop will take place on Saturdays from 9:00am – 4:00pm with Lunch at noon. Lunch will be provided for all workshops; our staff and instructor will accompany students to Clark Dining Hall, near our location on campus.
  • Students should arrive between 8:45am – 8:55am and students must leave or be picked up no later than 4:15pm. Drop-off, Pick-up, and Parking information will be shared after registration is complete.
  • Cancellations for Weekend Workshops: We must receive request for cancellation in writing via email to designlab_k12@ncsu.edu. Cancellations made 10 calendar days prior to a workshop are eligible for a full refund. Cancellations made 5 calendar days prior to a workshop are eligible for a 50% refund OR request to have their program fees donated to our Design Lab outreach funds. If the workshop is cancelled by the Design Lab, full refunds will be issued. Refunds can only be issued by the same means of the original payment. 
    • Due to the upfront costs of our workshops, this is a firm policy, as we are not able to provide refunds for money that has already been allocated towards workshop expenses.

If you have any questions, please email designlab_k12@ncsu.edu.

Click Here to Register for Weekend Workshops

*Registration is NOW Open*

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