Harvard GSD Design Discovery

Three weeks in-studio in Gund Hall, the hub of Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, doing in-depth study of the design discipline of your choice: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or Urban Planning + Design. You’ll model, fabricate, assemble, and present your work in pin-ups and reviews. Includes access to digital design software as well as the GSD’s Fabrication Lab and Francis Loeb Library, one of the foremost design collections in the country. No design background necessary.

Overview

Design Discovery (DD) is a three-week academic program held on-site at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) in Cambridge, MA. This program affords participants an in-depth study of a selected design discipline of their choosing: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or Urban Planning + Design. Participants must be at least 18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent, but do not need to come with a design background. The program explores the immense potential of design to impact the built and natural environment, and develops design thinking skills by engaging various materials and scales.

In complement to the Design Discovery Virtual program’s digital media emphasis, Design Discovery Program participants design for contemporary issues with an emphasis on hands-on physical modeling, material capacities, fabrication, and assembly. Completion of Design Discovery Virtual is not a prerequisite for enrollment in Design Discovery, however, participants unsure about which discipline to pursue may benefit from Design Discovery Virtual’s survey approach, before selecting a discipline to pursue at depth in Design Discovery. The two programs are designed with separate, complementary goals and are not copies of one another.

Design Discovery is taught by a diverse group of Harvard GSD faculty, master’s students, and doctoral candidates, and includes interaction with a broad network of design talent invited as guest lecturers and critics for the program. Successful participants receive a GSD design certificate, participant evaluation written by their studio instructor, and produce a draft portfolio of design work, all of which can be shared with admissions committees, current and potential employers, collaborators, clients, and other colleges and universities for course credit consideration.

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Program Summary

Three weeks in person at Gund Hall in Cambridge, MA.
Audience ages 18 and up. No design experience required.
One discipline, in depth: Architecture, Landscape Architecture, or Urban Planning + Design.
Hands-on physical modeling and fabrication.
Access to the GSD Fabrication Lab and Francis Loeb library.
Taught by Harvard GSD faculty and advanced GSD master’s students & doctoral candidates. Maximum of 10 participants per instructor.
Earn a Harvard GSD design certificate, leave with written evaluation and work portfolio.

APPLICATIONS FOR DESIGN DISCOVERY 2027 WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JANUARY. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES IN THE NEW YEAR.

Who attends

Open audience. Open outcome. Design Discovery students represent a vast and growing range of ages, lifestyles, and training (most have little to no previous design experience). This contributes to stimulating design learning discussions in studio.

Many participants are college students or recent graduates, but the program is also helpful to professionals in their thirties, forties, or beyond who are interested in learning about design to inform their current work, are considering a career change, or who simply want to learn more about the built environment and design thinking. We host an average of 225 participants per year. In our recent program cycle, participants from 19 different countries and 33 U.S. states joined us to discover design, bringing with them backgrounds in anthropology, international affairs, marine science, nutrition, public policy, entrepreneurship, and more.

For international participants: Please note that Design Discovery requires you to have a valid, pre-existing F-1 student visa for participation. The GSD cannot sponsor your visa. If you are not currently a student and do not have an F-1 visa, Design Discovery Virtual is for you. Study all three disciplines with the same faculty. Earn the same certificate. Designed from the beginning for a global cohort.

Life of the program

Learning Format

Design Discovery participants commit themselves fully to a path of intensive thinking through making within the studio of Gund Hall at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. The program pairs studio design time at the desk with a series of lectures and workshops on the process of design, representation of ideas and intentions, as well as fabrication and modeling demos. Design Discovery is a full-time commitment that affords deep immersion in a culture that is both challenging and rewarding. Participants experience education and in the design and planning professions, and emerge inspired by design, with a more profound understanding of new possibilities and their own interests in design.

The purpose of Design Discovery is not solely to produce the next generation of professional architects, although we certainly have. This program is as much about the toolset of becoming a designer as it is the mindset of design thinking; the processes, mental habits, and methods of research and collaboration that are second-nature to designers which can be applied to all fields of work and areas of study.

If you are participant with a disability or medical condition in need of accommodations, please contact [email protected]. To avoid delay in services, we ask that requests be made at least two weeks in advance of the program start.

Studio Format

Design Discovery studios focus on short, intensive projects similar to first-year graduate school projects within your selected concentration. Studios involve one-on-one guidance from design instructors, group discussion and reviews about design work, training sessions in graphics and model making skills, and individual presentations to instructors and guest professionals. Participants have direct access to select spaces within the GSD’s Fabrication Lab and Frances Loeb Library — one of the country’s foremost design and planning libraries.

Concentrations

As a Design Discovery student, you will engage in an iterative exploratory design process of drawing, fabrication and model making within the context of a design studio. This process will help build your ability to translate observations about the world into a visual and spatial language. We ask all Design Discovery in-person participants to select a single concentration for their study among three possible disciplines described below. Within three weeks of the program start date, we cannot make changes to a selected concentration. You will receive instruction in the fundamental design methodologies specific to the discipline that you select as your program concentration:

Architecture is the design of individual buildings and their contexts, with the understanding that, through the scale of elements that comprise them, buildings are the choreographers of dynamic conditions both inside their walls and within their local surroundings.

Lizzie Ferguson: Arch07 studio, Design Discovery 2022

Design Discovery 2022 Architecture Site Model

Landscape Architecture is the design and preservation of built and natural landscapes, from rural landscapes to urban parks and infrastructure projects.

Guanxin Luo, Xinyu Lai, Diya Li, and Ruxuan Xue: LA02 studio,
Design Discovery 2022

Lydia Healy: LA04 studio, Design Discovery 2022

Urban Planning + Design is the analysis and synthesis of forces that shape and reshape the built environment at the scale of the city, with a focus on envisioning and illustrating places that reflect and support the diverse needs of society.

Lydia Li: Studio 06, Discovery Virtual 2022

Damanjot Chatha: UPD04 studio, Design Discovery 2022

To see more examples of student design work and the life of this program, follow us @designdiscoveryharvardgsd on Instagram.

Schedule

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday + Sunday
10:00-11:00am Lecture by design or planning professional	10:00-11:00am Lecture by design or planning professional	10:00-11:00am Lecture by design or planning professional	10:00-11:00am Lecture by design or planning professional	10:00-11:00am Work time in studio	Studios open during weekend
11:15am-Noon Introduction to studio problem	11:15am-Noon Design Seminar	11:15am-Noon Making techniques wkshp	11:15am-Noon Making techniques wkshp	11:15am-Noon Making techniques wkshp
Noon-1:00pm Lunch	Noon-1:00pm Lunch	Noon-1:00pm Lunch	Noon-1:00pm Lunch	Noon-1:00pm Lunch
1:00-6:00pm Review of studio problem	1:00-6:00pm Studio	1:00-6:00pm Studio	1:00-6:00pm Studio	1:00-6:00pm Studio
Studios open until 12:00am	Studios open until 12:00am	Studios open until 12:00am	Studios open until 12:00am	Studios open until 12:00am

Sample schedule of typical week

Evaluation + Certificate

Successful Design Discovery participants receive a Harvard GSD design certificate, a written evaluation from their instructor, and a draft portfolio of their own design work.

Faculty + Staff

Section Instructors

Design Discovery sections are taught by graduating or advanced GSD students who have a professional and academic specialty in the design discipline they are teaching. Sections strive for a maximum of ten students per instructor. Each section is coordinated by current GSD faculty.

Coordinating Faculty

Architecture

Urban Planning + Design

Landscape Architecture

Program Director

Jenny French

Associate Professor in Practice of ArchitectureView Profile

Yun Fu

Design Critic in Urban Planning and DesignView Profile

Slide Kelly

Design Critic in Landscape ArchitectureView Profile

Megan Panzano

Lecturer in ArchitectureExecutive Director of Early Design, Online, and Executive EducationView Profile

Lecturers

Design Discovery invites exceptional professionals and academics to give lectures and join career panel discussions on design, history, theory, office practice, and other aspects of each profession. Speakers are often available for informal conversations afterward.

Past speakers have included:

Chana Haouzi and Matthew Okazaki of Architecture for Public Benefit
Alice Brown of Boston Harbor Now
J Jih of studio J.Jih
Alex Anmahian, Principal of Anmahian Winton Architects
Maurice Cox, director of planning and development for the city of Detroit
Gary Hilderbrand; partner at Reed Hilderbrand Landscape Architecture
D’Wayne Edwards, footwear designer and founder Pensole Footwear Design Academy
Seth Gordon, Film Director and Producer
Alex Krieger, professor in Practice of Urban Planning and Design at Harvard Graduate School of Design
Christian Long: Design Share
Kathryn Madden, Critic in Urban Planning and Design at Harvard University Graduate School of Design; Principal of Madden Planning Group
Thomas Lyons Mills, Professor of Foundation Studies at the Rhode Island School of Design
David Saladik: MASS Design Group
Kirk A. Sykes, Senior Vice President and President of Urban Strategy America Fund
Maryann Thompson, Adjunct Professor at Harvard University Graduate School of Design; Founder of Maryann Thompson Architects
Charles Waldheim, John E. Irving Professor of Landscape Architecture and Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Tuition + Financial Aid

Tuition for the Design Discovery Program is $2,800. This includes access to the Adobe software suite, Rhino 3D modeling software, a program design supply kit, two catered events, an exclusive Harvard GSD Early Design Education canvas tote, and other program swag. Program participants may also want to purchase additional materials and supplies for projects throughout the course of the program at their own discretion.

Payment Policy

A nonrefundable application fee of $85 be be paid in full for each application before the application deadline in order to be considered for admission.

Financial Assistance

Financial aid takes into account many factors. We aim to offer financial assistance to those applicants who identify the greatest need in order to participate in our program.

To apply, please submit a Financial Aid Application Form along with the required documentation by the program application deadline. Please see the application for more information. This form will be available to complete within your program application.

Please Note: Design Discovery financial aid is not federally subsidized and is available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. International students are not eligible to apply. Requests for aid will not be considered without a completed program application. Late applications will not be considered.

Tuition and Financial Aid FAQ

Q: Can I pay the tuition with a credit card?

A: Yes. Further payment instructions will be provided in your admittance letter. Tuition payments must be completed online via the online system by the payment deadline listed in our program calendar.

Q: I am applying for financial aid. Are tax forms from my parents required?

A: Tax forms from parents are required for every applicant under the age of 30.

Q: Can the application fee be waived if I am applying for financial aid?

A: No. We are unable to waive the application fee.

Q: Is financial aid available for international students?

A: No. Design Discovery financial aid is not federally subsidized and is only available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. International students are not eligible to apply for financial aid.

Q: Is there a specific Design Discovery financial aid application that I should use when I apply?

A: Yes. The Design Discovery financial aid application form is part of the program’s online application. Once you indicate an interest in applying for aid, the aid application form will appear. Submit supporting documents online with the rest of your application by the application deadline.

Q: What does it mean to qualify for financial aid?

A: Design Discovery financial aid funds are based on the financial situation of the student. Financial aid takes into account many factors. We aim to offer financial assistance to those applicants who identify the greatest need in order to participate in our program.

Q: The website says that my financial aid application is due with the program’s application. Does this mean that I have to apply for financial aid before I know if I am admitted?

A: Yes, you need to complete the Design Discovery online application in order to access the financial aid application form. We advise submitting the financial aid supporting documentation prior to receiving your admissions decision letter.

Q: If I am admitted to Design Discovery, will my financial aid award letter be included with my admissions email?

A: Yes, we will notify all aid applicants of their admission along with their aid award by email according to the program schedule on this site.

Q: I missed the financial aid application deadline. Does this mean I cannot get financial aid?

A: We cannot accept applications for financial aid beyond the program application deadline.

Q: If I receive an aid award, what will it cover?

A: Awards only apply towards tuition and possible support for a computer device. Aid for Design Discovery in-person does not cover housing, which is up to each student to arrange. See this link for more information.

Housing

The cost and reservation of Boston area housing for the Design Discovery in-person program is up to each accepted participant to arrange. Neither Harvard nor the GSD have dorms to offer to Design Discovery participants. Upon acceptance of your application to the program, we encourage you to review the housing resources we have collected for you here and make your housing arrangements for the duration of the program as early as possible.

Things to consider when looking for housing:

Location: You will be spending most of your time in Gund Hall. Be sure to take into consideration how far your rental is from the school and if transportation is easily accessible.
Budget: Apartments in the Cambridge area can be costly. Take into consideration what amenities you absolutely need and which ones you can live without.
Roommates: Do you want to share a room with another person for the program?

Housing Resources

Apply

To apply for Design Discovery, please submit the following required materials with your online application:

Application Fee: A non-refundable $85 application fee is due upon application submission.
Statement of Intent: Please tell us what you hope to achieve by attending this design program (in 250 words or less).
Resume or CV (PDF) which includes the following information: employment; education; extra-curricular collegiate and community activities (note whether an office held was elected or appointed); honors; awards; professional registration; professional societies; publications; avocations; hobbies; travel. If you served in the military, indicate rank on entry and rank on separation.
Academic History
University Transcripts A scanned copy of your transcripts should be submitted with the program application from all colleges and universities from which the applicant has received credit. When uploading a transcript, please make sure the scanned version is legible. Transcripts that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation. If the university or college does not issue transcripts, a certified letter and certified English translation must be provided. It should list courses and examinations taken, grades, and degrees and dates of degrees received. Admitted students who have attended a school outside of the U.S. may be asked to submit a WES (World Education Service) certified transcript, at the applicant’s expense.
Upload .jpg, .tiff, or PDF image files of your original design work or photography (optional)
Financial Aid Application (optional, U.S. applicants only)

In order to comply with applicable US sanctions and export control regulations, Harvard prohibits access to and use of its educational offerings, programs and resources by (i) individuals located in or ordinarily resident in comprehensively sanctioned regions, and (ii) individuals who are otherwise subject to US government sanctions, unless the activity is authorized by a general or specific license or is otherwise exempt from sanctions regulations. Harvard may decline, suspend, or terminate an application, enrollment, or access to course materials as necessary to comply with these requirements.

Application Deadlines

Applications and application fees are due by the program application deadline, April 19, 2027. Early completion of the application and application fee are encouraged! Please see below for the detailed deadlines for the upcoming program cycle.

The 2027 Design Discovery program will run from July 12 – 30, 2027.

Design Discovery Deadline	Date
Online Application Opens	January 2027
Application Deadline (including Financial Aid Applications)	April 19, 2027
Admission Decisions + Aid Awards Sent to Applicants	April 26, 2027
Registration/Tuition Payment Deadline	April 30, 2027
Cancellation Deadline for Full (100%) Refund*	July 5, 2027
Withdrawal Deadline for Partial (50%) Refund*	July 16, 2027

*You may cancel or withdraw from the program by emailing [email protected].

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How will I be notified of the admissions decision?

A: Admissions and aid decisions will be sent by emailed to the address associated with your program application.

Q: Is it possible to defer?

A: No, the Design Discovery program does not grant deferrals. If you are admitted but unable to attend, you will need to reapply in another year.

Q: I’ve applied before. Can you reactivate my previous application?

A: No. Any former applicant wishing to reapply to the GSD Design Discovery Program must resubmit all forms and documentation.

Q: How old do I have to be to apply to Design Discovery?

A: Applicants must be at least 18 years old and must have a high school diploma or the equivalent. A high level of academic skill is necessary to take full advantage of our rigorous program.

Q: I’m an international student, what are the visa requirements for participation?

A: A valid visa for study within the U.S. is required to be supplied by international citizenship participants of the Design Discovery in-person program. We can only accept valid visas of international students who will be returning to their domestic home school to complete their study after the conclusion of the DD program. Harvard will not sponsor new visas (F-1 or I-20) for enrollment in this program. We invite international students who do not hold such visa status to enroll in our Design Discovery Virtual (DDV) program. DDV is just as robust, rigorous, and inspiring as our in-person program. Please see more information about that program at this link.

Q: How do I submit my transcript(s)? Do I need to send an official copy with my application?

A: Transcripts should be submitted electronically through the online application. Applicants should scan a copy of their transcript(s) and upload these documents into the online application. During the application process, it is not necessary to send an official transcript.

Q: Does my transcript need to be official, or can I scan an unofficial version?

A: Scanned transcripts can be unofficial or official. If we need further information, we may ask for an official transcript to be sent to our office for review.

Q: I am having technical difficulties with the online application (such as uploading a transcript). What do I do?

A: Please email the Design Discovery office at [email protected].

Q: I don’t have a background in design—can I apply?

A: Yes. Design Discovery is a program designed to introduce Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning + Design to those who have interest in the areas but have little to no experience with design.

Q: Can I apply for more than one concentration at the same time?

A: Participants of the program are exposed to all three concentrations through lectures, but your studio work will focus on one chosen concentration. Within three weeks of the program start date, we cannot make changes to a selected concentration.

Q: Do you teach design thinking?

A: That is exactly what we teach. The program is as much about the ‘mindset’ as it is about the ‘toolset’ of designers. Many of our students have gone on to other disciplines, taking with them what is now called ‘design thinking’; the processes, mental habits, and methods of research and collaboration that are second-nature to designers which can be beneficially applied to all fields and areas of study.

Q: Where do students live? Are there dorms?

A: The cost and reservation of Boston area housing for the Design Discovery in-person program is up to each accepted participant to arrange. Neither Harvard nor the GSD have dorms to offer to Design Discovery participants. Upon acceptance of your application to the program, we encourage you to review the housing resources we provide on our website here and make your housing arrangements for the duration of the program as early as possible.

Q: What kind of computer resources are there?

A: Participants are given access to all programs on the GSD network. It is required that all participants bring a laptop. Wireless internet is available in Gund Hall as well.

Q. After completing the program, how do I request a Design Discovery transcript?

A: To request a copy of your evaluation please follow the instructions here.

Q: Can I be removed from your program’s mailing list?

A: To unsubscribe from our mailing list, email a request to [email protected] with your name and address as they appear on the mailing label.

Q: How do I choose between Design Discovery Virtual and In-Person?

A: If this academic program would be your earliest direct engagement with design, you might benefit from enrolling in our Design Discovery Virtual (DDV) program, which provides a survey of the three disciplines, elucidating their similarities and differences in materials and methods. This survey approach can be extremely useful in finding and clarifying your interests. Conversely, if you are already knowledgable in one discipline, this survey approach can be useful in exploring new perspectives.

If you already have some knowledge about the similarities and differences between design disciplines, and know where your interest lies, you will benefit from the depth of study offered in our in-person Design Discovery (DD), which offers much deeper focus and engagement with a single discipline.

We encourage participants to consider carefully what they hope to take away from engagement with Design Discovery. You might also make a selection between the programs by evaluating what media (digital or physical) you might be most interested in learning about and making with, or practical concerns such as visa status and your ability to travel.

Q: Can I enroll in both programs?

A: Yes, you can enroll in both programs! The two programs are designed to be complementary to one another, so that participants of both would have little to no redundancy in their educational experience. The programs also do not overlap with their timing to allow for enrollment in both. Application and tuition processes and fees would have to be followed for each program.

Please note that a valid visa for study within the U.S. is required of international participants of the Design Discovery in-person program. We can only accept valid visas of international students who will be returning to their domestic home school to complete their study after the conclusion of the in-person program.

Q: Is there a fixed sequencing to the two Design Discovery programs?

A: No, there is not a prescribed sequencing to these programs. Participants may enroll in them as singular design experiences, or as a pair in an order that suits the individual. The two programs are designed to be complementary to one another, so that participants of both would have little to no redundancy in their educational experience.

Q: What are the differences in format between the two programs?

A: Design Discovery Virtual (DDV) allows participants to join from anywhere in the world, while Design Discovery in-person (DD) requires participants to temporarily reside in the Boston area to attend the program held in the Harvard Graduate School of Design’s main studio space, Gund Hall, in Cambridge, MA, USA. Please note that a valid visa for study within the U.S. is required to be supplied by international citizenship participants of the Design Discovery in-person program. Our program is not able to sponsor a new F-1 or I-20 visa for participants of this program. We can only accept valid visas of international students who will be returning to their domestic home school to complete their study after the conclusion of the DD program. DDV engages digital software to bring a diverse global community together to share ideas about the world and explore ways to introduce positive change through design. DD invites participants to address these aims at a studio desk in Gund Hall with in-person lectures, pin-up conversations, and design reviews.

Q: What if I’m an international student without a valid visa for study in the U.S.?

A: We invite you to join us for the Design Discovery Virtual (DDV) program! No visas are required with this program. It has been designed to address and engage an international audience. Design Discovery Virtual is just as robust, rigorous, and inspiring as our in-person program. We’ve worked hard to ensure that community is built within the virtual environment through the program format and pace and that design and technical skill with digital media tools are taught in an engaging and accessible manner through our custom workshops. The Design Discovery Virtual program is fantastic and we hope that you’ll strongly consider participating in this program. It has a lot to offer!

Q: Is housing an additional expense of the Design Discovery In-person program?

A: Yes. The cost and reservation of Boston area housing for the Design Discovery in-person program is up to each participant to arrange. Our Design Discovery Virtual program allows for participants to join from wherever they are with no additional housing costs.

Q: What are the differences in design content between the two programs?

A: Design Discovery Virtual (DDV) instructs how all three disciplines (Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning + Design) address global issues through design during the program. Design Discovery in-person (DD) asks participants to select a particular discipline among these three to closely study through a series of relevant design questions posed.

Q: What are the differences in the material that I will engage between the two programs?

A: Design Discovery Virtual (DDV) uses digital media (Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Rhino, 3D modeling software) to provide experience with the relationship between 2D images and 3D form and space across Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning + Design. Design Discovery in-person (DD) emphasizes physical modeling, exploring a selected discipline’s material capacities and scale as a means to learn design methods through questions posed over a series of assignments.

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