Weekend Workshops

Architecture Workshop // Emergence of the Senses

It is the distant future and people have been forced to stay in their homes for quite some time. Just outside people’s homes lives the potential for what was once spaces of vibrancy and laughter beyond visual matter. After years of complacency and stillness, how can architecture reintroduce us to a life of complexity and purpose? What is the role of architecture in aiding society to strengthen their existential experience and place in the world?

Students will design a “Corridor of Return” personal to their experiences and perceptions on architectural elements. Multi-sensory life and interaction will be incorporated into their designs by recreating the experience of walking through a corridor. This corridor will allow people to emerge from their homes through a series of designed zones that reintroduce them into the public realm using real materials, light, and a human connection to nature. 

Through the design process, we will develop planning strategies, drawings, and models to create a toolbox for architectural design. We will also learn how to present our projects to others in verbal and visual representations.

*This workshop will be held in our Design Lab classroom at the College of Design on NC State University’s campus. Directions, parking, and our classroom location will be shared with registrants within one week of the workshop date.

• Suggested Age Range: Grade 9 – 12; Age 14 – 18
• Total Seats: 20
• Cost: $75

Instructor // Hannah Smith

Art + Design Workshop // Working in the Abstract: Plein Air Painting

En plein air, a French phrase meaning “in the open air,” describes the process of painting a landscape outdoors. The theory of en plein air painting is credited to Pierre-Henri de Valenciennes (1750–1819), and the process contrasts heavily with more traditional studio painting techniques or rules. To paint outside means to be constantly working against the clock to capture all that you see, and as a result you don’t have time to over-think your composition.

In this workshop, you will practice and learn design techniques to simplify what you are seeing. Since you are working against the clock, as an artist, you must make quick design decisions to effectively create a believable image. What can you leave out, but still use to create an image that reflects what you’re viewing? Join us and find out!

Since we will be working outdoors, make sure to dress comfortably for the weather. In case of rain, we will still work outdoors, but under covered breezeways. 

*This workshop will be held in and around our Design Lab classroom at the College of Design on NC State University’s campus. Directions, parking, and our classroom location will be shared with registrants within one week of the workshop date.

• Suggested Age Range: Grade 9 – 12; Age 14 – 18
• Total Seats: 25
• Cost: $75

Instructor // Adam Dehus

Industrial Design: Two for One: Dual-Purpose Design

In this Industrial Design workshop, students will act as both designer and client as they design and prototype a new product for their bedroom. Students will be tasked with exploring empathy and emotion, through form, color, and details, and they will be challenged to be creative and innovative as they design a dual-purpose or multi-purpose product for their bedroom.

Through the design process, students will practice skills in ideation, sketching, prototyping, and presenting their design.

*This workshop will be held in our Design Lab classroom at the College of Design on NC State University’s campus. Directions, parking, and our classroom location will be shared with registrants within one week of the workshop date.

• Suggested Age Range: Grade 9 – 12; Age 14 – 18
• Total Seats: 25
• Cost: $75

Instructor // Ngoc Nguyen

Art & Design Workshop // Knot A Story

From shoelaces to ships, knots tie the world together! In this interactive online workshop, students will learn to tie both functional and decorative knots, all while exploring the historical and communicative nature of knots. 

Students will adventure back in time to explore and decode quipus (pronounced kee·pooz), an early recording device used by the Incas that were crafted from strings. Through hands-on practice, students will learn the intricate dance of skill and coordination that is needed to craft new knots. And as students develop an understanding of how the Incas used knots as a form of language, students will work in small groups to design and construct a tactile story from knots.

No previous knot tying experience is needed and all experience levels are welcome.

• Suggested Age Range: Grade 9-12; Age 14 – 18
• Total Seats: 25
• Cost: $60
• Supply List: Click Here

Instructor // Jonathan Williams

Industrial Design Workshop // Assembly Required: Flat-Pack Furniture

If you’ve been to Ikea, then you’re familiar with flat-pack furniture. Essentially, it is furniture that is sold in parts and pieces and ready to assemble by the consumer. This saves the manufacturer time, labor and shipping costs because the furniture is packaged in an efficient and affordable way. 

For this online workshop, we will focus on flat-pack furniture design by designing a bench, shelf, or table. You will practice sketching and turning your 2D sketch ideas into working 3D model prototypes. 

Your furniture must be able to be taken apart and be put back together, so we will not be using adhesives. We will explore ways of joinery and focus on how to design furniture with the materials at hand. Through research, collaboration, sketching and prototyping, students will understand how to transform their ideas from paper into a working prototype.

• Suggested Age Range: Grade 9 – 12; Age 14 – 18
• Total Seats: 20
• Cost: $60
• Supply List: Click Here

Instructor // Marissa Yankello

Registration Process and Policies

• Registration will open on Friday, September 10.
• The registration fee for each online workshop is $60 and the fee for each in-person workshop is $75. Payment is due upon registration. Students may register for multiple weekend workshops at a time. All forms and payment must be completed in order for registration to be finalized. 
• Registration will remain open for each workshop up until 6 calendar days prior to its date (ie. registration will close for a workshop on the Sunday prior to when it’s being held). 
• Those who have completed registration and payment will receive a confirmation email immediately. And all registrants, for both in-person and online workshops, will receive an email at least 5 business days prior to the start of their workshop with further information on procedures and protocols.
• Cancellations for Online 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 OR can request to have their program fees donated to our Design Lab outreach funds. Cancellations made 5 calendar days prior to a workshop are NOT eligible for a refund. Due to the upfront cost of our programming, this is a firm policy. 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. 
• Cancellations for In-Person 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. If a student is unable to attend a workshop due to a positive COVID-19 PCR test result within 72 hours of the workshop, as marked on the online attestation form (see below COVID-19 Procedures and Protocol), registrants can request a full 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. 

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

COVID-19 Procedures & Protocols for In-Person Workshops

To participate in an ‘In-Person Weekend Workshop,’ registrant’s parents/guardians will be asked to complete an online attestation form to attest that their child has either been vaccinated against COVID-19 or has completed a COVID-19 surveillance test within 72 hours of the workshop and received a negative test result from a PCR test. Access to the online attestation form will be sent to registrant’s parents/guardians within 3 days of each in-person workshop. The form MUST be completed no later than 5:00pm on the Friday before the workshop, or the student will not be allowed to participate in the workshop.

In accordance with NC State University’s Protect the Pack protocols and procedures, face coverings are required in all indoor spaces on campus for students, faculty, staff and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Please plan accordingly. Extra masks will be on-hand in case a student arrives without one. For more information, please review the Community Standards that are in place to help keep our NC State community safe from the spread of COVID-19. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we protect the pack.

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

Supplies and Equipment for Online Workshops

Fees do not cover supplies, equipment, and materials. A supply list specific to each workshop track can be found in the weekend workshop descriptions above. Registrants and their parents/guardians are responsible for procuring the supplies needed for each workshop.

All weekend workshop will require the following:

• A laptop or desktop computer with a reliable internet connection and access to a web browser
• Access to a webcam (or device that can function as a webcam – either built-in, or external)
• A Sketchbook or notebook for collecting ideas
• A digital camera (can be a phone camera)

On occasion, students may also need:

• Access to a printer
• Access to a scanner, or scanner app

More details on equipment and digital platforms to be used are provided with individual workshop supply lists. It is the responsibility of participants and their parents/guardians to ensure their equipment and software is compatible and ready for use, and that any equipment and platforms for the purposes of Digital Design Lab weekend workshops are used in a safe and appropriate manner.

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