Architecture and Design Club
In partnership with Lincoln Lighthouse
The Architecture & Design Club is a six-week pilot program launching in September 2026. Developed and led by local architects, the program introduces students to the fundamentals of design through hands-on learning and mentorship.
Guided drawing and sketching exercises Physical model-making and material exploration Introduction to design thinking and spatial concepts Direct interaction with practicing architects. Through this program, students gain more than technical skills—they begin to see themselves as designers, creators, and problem-solvers.
Why This Matters
Education For All
Across Nebraska, design professions continue to lack diversity. For many students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, architecture is simply not visible as a possible future.
Missed Pathway
Opportunity Through Access
By introducing design at an early stage, we can expand what students see as possible, and begin building a more inclusive future for the profession.
We Need Your Support
The sponsorship ask for the Architecture & Design Club is a $500 one-time donation. $500 will support 3 students for 6 - weeks. Your donation will go towards drawing and modeling supplies and dinner.
Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!
Limited access to creative career exploration
Few entry points into design professions
Traditional pipelines that overlook diverse talent
Week 1 | Introduction
Architecture and design club is officially underway!
On Tuesday, we kicked off our first annual club, introducing students to the tools, terminology and creative problem solving behind architecture. Students received their own architecture supply kits, learned industry terminology through “Archi-Talk-Ture” Bingo, and were introduced to their design challenge: a Tiny House. Our first lesson focused on placemaking - exploring how thoughtful design can create spaces that are memorable throughout our lives. We’re excited to see where their ideas take them next!
Week 2 | Spatial Thinking
Week 02 of Architecture and Design Club:
We started off the class with generously donated fried chicken and mac from Leila Mae’s . With full bellies, we completed a zoo adjacency problem, learning about spatial relationships and experiential design. Then, we learned about logos and partis – critiquing well known logos and ideating on how they might be improved. The students used their initials to draw a personal logo articulating something special about their personalities and brand. We ended the class with a lesson on graphic communication from Kit Williams from APMA on floor plan drawing conventions. With a strong foundation in the core tenants of design, the students are ready to start laying out their Tiny Houses next week!
Week 3 | Draw It!
Week 03 of Architecture & Design Club:
This week, our students continued developing their Tiny House designs, building on the parti diagrams, bubble diagrams, and early floor plans they started last week.
We also dove into concept design and talked about how a strong idea can shape not just what a building looks like, but how it feels and how someone experiences it. Each student took a turn describing what they wanted their house to feel like and the big idea behind their design. The ideas were imaginative and uniquely their own, from a feature stair wrapping around a willow tree to a house extending out onto a fishing dock.
From there, students worked with our mentors to translate those ideas into their parti diagrams and floor plans, thinking more intentionally about spatial relationships, circulation, and experience. It was exciting to see their designs begin to take on their own personalities!
And a huge thank you to Tico’s of Lincoln for generously sponsoring dinner and keeping our young designers fueled for another evening of creativity!
Week 4 | Design Development
Week 04 of Architecture & Design Club:
Our deep-dive this week focused on the topic of failure – how failing and having curiosity will lead to trying again and ultimately success.
After the deep-dive, and with curious minds, students took out their trace paper and pencils to iterate, ideate, and refine their tiny house floor plans based on their parti and bubble diagrams.
Their story telling will be further developed next week when we take 2D to 3D!
And a huge thank you to LeadBelly of Lincoln for generously sponsoring dinner and keeping our young designers fueled for another evening of creativity!
Week 5 | Build Your Vision!
Week 05 of Architecture & Design Club:
This week, our students continued developing their Tiny House designs, moving into one of the final steps before their exhibition: bringing their ideas to life through physical models!
We kicked off the evening with an introduction to model making and explored how architects and designers use physical models to study their ideas in three dimensions. Students learned about different materials like cardstock, chipboard, and basswood, along with simple techniques for cutting, assembling, and building. We talked about how even a rough model can help designers test ideas, understand scale, and experience spaces in a whole new way.
From there, students worked alongside our mentors to translate their floor plans into physical models, thinking more intentionally about form, scale, and spatial relationships. It was exciting to see the ideas they’ve been developing over the past several weeks begin to take shape in 3D!
A huge thank you to Vung Tau Pho Grill for generously donating an incredible bánh mì feast to keep our young designers fueled for the evening! And, as always, thank you to our amazing mentors for sharing their time and knowledge and supporting our students throughout the process.
Week 6 | Share & Celebrate!
Week 06 of Architecture & Design Club:
The final week of the Architecture and Design Club ended with a gallery celebration of the student's work! Lincoln Lighthouse TIPP students stood next to their sketches, parti diagrams, floor plans, and models to engage in a dialogue with community members about the tiny houses they designed over the last 6 weeks. The room was buzzing as students explained their inspiration, how they overcame challenges, and the ins and outs of the design process. Lighthouse students may or may not join the design profession, but one thing is for certain, we can't wait to see what the students do next.
Thank you to all of the community members who attended the gallery exhibition, our generous sponsors (mentioned below), NOMA Nebraska, and Lincoln Lighthouse for making this club such a wonderful experience.
A very special thank you to Britt Coudriet for leading the planning effort, facilitating the classes, fundraising, and all the other things that helped make this club a success.
Food Sponsors:
The Mill
Chick-Fil-A
Ticos of Lincoln
Leila Mae's
Leadbelly's
Red Robin
Vung Tau
Professional Partners:
BVH Architecture
HDR
DLR Group
Lincon Partnership for Economic Development
Alley Poyner Macchietto
Pella
Schemmer