The Studio Experience
Welcome to studio—where messy meets magic
Studio is where you put in the work and bring your ideas to life. It’s your workspace, your playground, your creative lab, and your crash course in collaboration, all rolled into one. With 24/7 access, you can build, sketch, test, and revise on your own schedule and in your own style. But you won’t do it alone.
You’ll learn side-by-side with other students, swap ideas across years and disciplines, and collaborate closely with faculty. You’ll work hard but you’ll grow together, make things that matter, and have a lot of fun along the way.
Everyone gets a desk—no, really
Every student in the architecture and design programs gets their own desk. And it’s not just a place to stash your supplies. It’s where you’ll think, sketch, make mistakes, make progress, and maybe swap ideas or snacks with the person next to you.
Over time, your desk becomes more than furniture — it becomes a reflection of who you are as a creative. It’s personal space in a shared environment. In a room full of voices, it’s where you start to find your own.
See what your desk could look like.
What’s a pin-up?
Pin-up sessions and critiques are a core part of the architecture and design studio experience — and a key connection between education and professional practice. In these informal discussions, students present their work and get feedback from their instructors, classmates, upper-level students, and even visiting alumni or professionals.
Pin-ups will help you get better and prepare you for the realities of a competitive career. The feedback can be tough to hear — but it’s always constructive, respectful, and focused on helping you grow.
Tips for managing a successful pin-up session
Remember that pin-ups are conversations about the work. Here are a few tips to get the most out of each experience:
- Be open to receiving and giving feedback
- Take notes and have a friend take notes
- Be ready to explain your thinking
- Keep comments concise and clear
- Take time to process it all!
Learning on location, studio style
Your studio is your classroom, your workspace, and your creative community. It’s also a launchpad for discovering architecture and design in the real world. Recent architecture studio-focused trips have included explorations of sites like the South Carolina Aquarium and African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina; the Boston Public Library and MIT Chapel in Boston, Massachusetts; Robie House and Farnsworth House in Chicago, Illinois; and Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia.
We’ve got makerspaces, too
Besides studios, you’ll also spend a lot of time in our makerspaces — vibrant hubs for collaboration, imagination, and hands-on learning. They’re where you’ll experiment with tools and materials, practicing the skills that will shape your career. Most of all, they’re safe spaces to construct, craft, and create.