Design Class is August 3rd-7th, 9AM-3PM daily.
Lunch, supplies, and merch included.
WHAT WE TEACH
Design Class is an all-inclusive week long Summer Camp for young people taught by working professionals across multiple disciplines. We begin by introducing students to the core design fields: fashion, interior design, photography, digital design, and more. From there, we introduce foundational design knowledge: color theory, hierarchy, contrast, emphasis, texture, form, value, and so on. Then we bring in working professionals from each discipline to show how these ideas apply to every kind of design.
We also teach students that design thinking applies to how you approach your own career. There is no single path. Take fashion, for example. Your child may know they’re passionate about it. But do they know what that could actually look like as a career? Do they want to design the clothes, photograph them, style the models, source the textiles, direct the brand strategy, work in visual merchandising, or predict upcoming trends? We want students to leave having been introduced to creative roles they didn’t even know existed.
FILLING THE GAP IN DESIGN EDUCATION
For parents of creative kids, there are endless summer programs to choose from and the instinct is often to look for an art-specific program. We believe in something richer.
Design Class exists because we know that design-specific education, taught by working professionals and built to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world, is almost nonexistent. We think that’s a problem worth solving.
Here’s why it matters: while a designer certainly draws on artistic ability and aesthetic sense, there is a strategic layer of thinking that separates design from art. Steve Jobs put it plainly: “Design is not just what it looks and feels like. Design is how it works.” Art makes the world a better place. Design is what makes the world function.
One of the first things we encourage students to do is notice the design already around them. The road signs they passed on the way to class. The building they’re standing in. The shoes on their feet. The car they arrived in. Everything was designed not just to appeal to the eye, but to do a job. If your shoes aren’t designed well, your feet hurt. If your home isn’t designed well, it leaks when it rains. The quality of design has a direct impact on the quality of our lives, on making the world better.
Many young people want to make the world a better place. Learning to think like a designer is one of the most practical ways to do exactly that!
WHAT STUDENTS LEAVE WITH
By the end of the program, every student completes a portfolio-ready piece. More importantly, they leave with the ability to articulate the creative process behind it. Along the way, they learn how to source inspiration with intention, give and receive feedback, collaborate with peers, and explain their choices. These are skills that transfer well beyond the studio: into school, into leadership, and into life.
Design thinking is not a personality trait. It’s a way of seeing the world, and it can be taught. At Design Class our aim is to empower the next generation of designers to make the world a better place; we welcome you to join us!
Learn more about Design Class here, or on Instagram @designclass.ca
