Michael Ford holds a model depicting a cafe with outdoor seating completed by one of the students.
Taylor Crawford Michael Ford at a previous Hip Hop Architecture Camp, holding a model depicting a cafe with outdoor seating completed by one of the students.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has thwarted many summer programs and plans nationwide, Michael Ford, Assoc. AIA's Hip Hop Architecture Camp will weather the change, transitioning to a virtual format this year. Founded by Ford in 2016, the 2020 Hip Hop Architecture Camp will be a one-week-long program that aims to introduce 1,500 underrepresented middle- and high-school students to the design community. Working with architects, designers, and activists, the students will explore how design shapes their own communities.

This year's online camp will be held Aug. 1 through Aug. 11, and feature architecture, urban planning, fashion, and music challenges for the students. The students who produce the top 20 portfolios during the camp will be able to choose among several prizes, including a 3D printer and a scholarship to the second phase of the camp later this winter.

Given the limited number of spaces, interested students must apply to participate in the 2020 Hip Hop Architecture Camp by Thursday, July 23. Students selected to participate will receive an email notification by Friday, July 24.