On your marks, get set, build! Whether it is a dream of crafting another world or remodeling a location you’ve known for years, our summer youth programming offers an outlet for young creative minds.
All campers spent an immersive day on the Taliesin Estate exploring and engaging with Wright designed buildings from various decades of his lifetime. While visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio, they explored how local materials were used by observing patterns and textures. Students then spent time outdoors getting a real feel for the rolling hills of the Wyoming Valley before arriving at the Hillside Home School where they enjoyed lunch—prepared by the Riverview Terrace Cafe—in the Fellowship Dining Room. Later that afternoon, they drew a floor plan of the Assembly Hall prior to discovering natural cooling qualities and intricate details of the Hillside Theatre.
Building forts; harvesting kale; cooking with FAIP staff; and discovering inflatable architecture served as pathways to inspiration as participants worked to design and build models suitable for a specific site of their choosing—either on Earth or Mars. Another special highlight was the students receiving feedback on their designs from guest speakers, including School of Architecture at Taliesin-trained professionals.
More advanced students ventured into the world of digital modeling with experienced architects as their guides. A few former participants like Clare Weigert also returned this year to serve as Youth Ambassadors—attending camps as mentors to provide additional assistance for students during the building process and to lead games.
At Taliesin, summer camp is about discovering your inner designer; finding inspiration from the world around you; experimenting and taking risks with your ideas; making new friends—and most of all—feeling free to be your best self.
