Constructed Environments

Coursework

The program's comprehensive curriculum is designed to prepare applicants for admission to professional degree programs (MArch, MFA in Interior Design, MFA Lighting Design, MFA in Industrial Design) at Parsons and other competitive graduate schools.

In this full-day program, students attend three-hour sessions each morning that alternate drawing, digital representation, and fabrication with exploration of the history and theory of design practice in New York City. Students attend four-hour afternoon sessions in which they work with the faculty on development and refinement of design propositions. In the program, New York City and its greater region, and the experiences of people within it, serve as a context for understanding designers' expansive roles in the made environment, across scales and types of making, from the architectural and interior to product manufacture.

Parsons is located close to the Architecture Center; the Museum of Modern Art; Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum; the Storefront for Art and Architecture; and the Chelsea art gallery district. Site visits to these institutions, as well as local design offices, are an important part of the curriculum. Students participate in weekly site visits or walking tours of significant sites in New York City.

Faculty

The faculty is made up of respected professional architects and scholars drawn from New York City's international design community. All summer program instructors are members of Parsons' faculty and are supported by senior-level graduate teaching assistants.

Campus and Classroom

Located in Greenwich Village near Union Square and situated within Parsons School of Design, the School of Constructed Environments is an internationally recognized center for the study of the built environment. Its small size, atelier atmosphere, and urban environment provide a unique and collegial context for the pursuit of professional and pre-professional education in architecture, interior design, and lighting. Classes take place in our large open-plan loft studios located at 25 East 13th Street.

Students in this program can live in New School residence halls convenient to the Parsons Village campus. Visit Summer Housing for more details.

College Credit

Students who successfully complete the Summer Studies in Constructed Environments program earn four undergraduate college credits.

Supplies

Students are expected to provide their own art supplies. A list of required and recommended materials is distributed by the faculty. Expenses for most courses are estimated at $400. Lockers are provided for storage during the program.

Registration

Registration for Summer Studies in Constructed Environments begins in late fall. Visit Registration below for more details. Early registration is advised.

Questions about the Summer Studies in Constructed Environments program can be directed to [email protected].

Additional Study Options

Intensive Lighting Studio

Working alongside leading designers, you develop lighting plans and build fixtures that demonstrate the ways in which light defines architectural volume and space.

Contact Craig Bernecker at [email protected] for more information about the Intensive Lighting Studio or visit Registration below to enroll.

Application Deadline: Application must be received by June 8, 2020.

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are accepted in the order in which they are received. Because class sizes are limited and most courses fill prior to session deadlines, early application is strongly encouraged. (Conditionally accepted School of Constructed Environments graduate students should email [email protected] for registration instructions.)

Tuition and fees: $5,062 + fees. Full payment is required at the time of registration.

Please register for Summer Studies in Constructed Environments online.

Payment Methods

Online Registration: Pay by credit card; Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express are accepted.

Note: Credit and debit cards often have limits on how much can be charged. Your bank may deny approval for a credit card payment if the card is issued by a non-U.S. bank. To ensure a smooth registration process, please check with your bank before submitting your credit card information. 

Cancellations and Refunds

Students who registered online should withdraw using the online registration system. Students who registered by mail or in person must submit a withdrawal request in writing. To qualify for a refund of tuition, students must submit all withdrawal requests before the deadlines indicated below. Refund processing takes approximately four weeks.

Before June 9: full refund of tuition

Before June 23: refund of tuition less 25 percent penalty

June 23 and later: no tuition refund

Your notice of withdrawal can be emailed to [email protected] or mailed to:

Continuing and Professional Education at The New School
66 West 12th Street, room 705
New York, New York 10011

Note: If a course is canceled by Parsons, a full refund of tuition and housing fees will be issued automatically.

Attendance and Workload

Students attend classes Monday through Friday for seven hours per day. Classes run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break. Attendance is mandatory for all participants. Students who miss more than two classes will fail the course, subject to faculty and administrative review. Students who do not meet course expectations may be asked to leave the program. Out-of-class work, assigned each day, is a substantial part of the program.

Program Schedule
July 6-August 7, 2020

Sunday, June 21
Residence hall check-in
11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Monday, June 22
Orientation, followed by first class

Friday, July 24
Last day of class

Saturday, July 25
Residence hall check-out
9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon

Full Time Faculty

• Paula Allen, Part-Time Faculty
• Sandra Arndt, Part-Time Faculty
• Jeremy Barbour, Part-Time Faculty
• Victoria Benatar, Part-Time Faculty
• Andreas Benzing, Part-Time Faculty
• Andrew Bernheimer, Assistant Professor of Architecture
• Nicholas Brinen, Part-Time Faculty
• Stephanie Choi, Part-Time Faculty
• David Crandall, Part-Time Faculty
• Simon David, Part-Time Faculty
• Natalie Fizer, Part-Time Faculty
• Carlo Frugiuele, Part-Time Faculty
• Rosannah Harding, Part-Time Faculty
• Robert Kirkbride, Dean of SCE & Professor of Architecture and Product Design
• Martina Kohler, Assistant Professor of Architecture and Design
• David Lewis, Professor of Architecture
• Brian McGrath, Professor of Urban Design
• Alison Mears, Associate Professor of Architecture
• Michael Morris, Part-Time Faculty
• Emily Moss, Assistant Professor of Architecture and Interior Design
• Mitchell Owen, Part-Time Faculty
• Eva Perez de Vega, Part-Time Faculty
• Clementina Ruggieri, Part-Time Faculty
• Joanie Tom, Part-Time Faculty

See more program faculty