Building Our Future Summer Camp 2026
Have you ever wondered how modern buildings go from idea to reality?
What if you could learn how to design our future buildings?
Building Our Future invites high school students to explore the artistic and technical aspects of designing high-performance buildings. This five-day overnight camp will feature experiences curated by architectural engineering professors representing specializations in structural, construction, mechanical, and lighting design.
Why Architectural Engineering?
- Enhance the built environment
- Improve our well-being
- Contribute to a sustainable future
Camp Highlights
- Learn from top design experts
- Tour historical architecture
- Apply light to reshape the spaces around you
- Get hands-on with the next generation of sustainable building technologies
Experience Campus Life
- Stay in campus residence halls
- Eat in campus dining halls
- Explore Penn State favorites, including ice cream from the world-famous Berkey Creamery
2026 Schedule (preliminary)
Monday, July 13 — Construction
11:00 a.m. – noon | Family Campus Tour | Engineering Design and Innovation (EDI) Building Lobby
Noon – 1:00 p.m. | Family AE Program Intro | 504 Engineering Collaborative Research and Education Building (ECoRE)
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Camp Check-In | TBD
3 p.m. | Welcoming Circle | 105 EDI—High Bay
3:30 – 5:00 p.m. | Construction Fundamentals |105 EDI—High Bay
6 p.m. | Dinner | TBD
Tuesday, July 14 — Mechanical
8 – 9 a.m. | Breakfast | TBD
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Sustainable Design | Morningstar House
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Lunch | 516 ECoRE
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. | Mechanical Fundamentals |516 ECoRE
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Mechanical Design | 516 ECoRE
6 p.m. | Dinner | TBD
Wednesday, July 15 — Lighting
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast | TBD
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Layers of Light | 516 ECoRE
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Light Lab | 501E ECoRE
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Lunch | 516 ECoRE
2:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Landscape Lighting Design | Millenium Science
6:00 p.m. | Dinner | TBD
9:00 p.m. | Landscape Design Narratives | Millenium Science
Thursday, July 16 — Structural
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast | TBD
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Structural Fundamentals | 516 ECoRE
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Structural Design| 516 ECoRE
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Lunch | Bellefonte, PA
2:00 – 5:00 p.m. | Historical Architecture Tour | Belleftone, PA
6:00 p.m. | Dinner | TBD
Friday, July 17 — Construction
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. | Breakfast | TBD
10:00 a.m. – noon | Concrete Demolition | 105 EDI
Noon – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch & Closing Circle | 516 ECoRE
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. | Camp Check-Out | TBD
Questions
For more information about registration, please contact psuconferences@psu.edu. Contact J Mundinger at jjm565@psu.edu with all other questions.
- Who: High school students ages 15+
- When: July 13–17
- Where: Penn State University Park
- Cost: $1,150
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