The DesignX Origin Story — and Details for our 2026 Architecture Design Summer Programs
In July 2019, Los Altos Online covered something we were proud to launch: DesignX’s inaugural architectural design summer camp—a first-of-its-kind experience designed to help kids connect creativity to the world around them.
By the end of that camp, 16 students had planned and built an entire neighborhood from scratch—a 12-foot-by-12-foot, made-to-scale model filled with imaginative details and personal inspiration. As DesignX founder Durga Kalavagunta said in the story, architecture is “a great way to engage the kids in the world around them.”
That same mission drives our Architectural Design programs today—now tailored specifically for grades 5–9 and designed to help young learners notice, imagine, build, and share.
The DesignX Architectural Design Program
Format: 5 full days (Monday–Friday)
Location: Egan School, 102 W Portola Valley, Los Altos
This is a hands-on architecture camp where kids learn by doing—observing the built environment, sketching ideas, building models, and talking about their choices in a supportive, kid-friendly studio setting.
Young designers practice:
Observation: Noticing shapes, patterns, and how spaces feel
Design thinking: Imagine → Build → Test → Improve
Model-making: Constructing structures with accessible materials
Communication: Explaining ideas through drawings and builds
If you’re searching for an architecture camp for kids near Los Altos, this is the kind of program that helps children build real confidence through real making.
What Made Our 2019 Launch So Special
The Los Altos Online article captured what we believe is most powerful about architecture education: structure + creative freedom.
Students were given a 1-foot-by-1-foot plot and encouraged to fill it however they imagined. Instructor Atreyee Ghosh emphasized that kids could build beyond what they see outside—“think outside the box”—and that “creativity looks different for different people.”
The results were joyful and original: soccer-field homes, playful towers, and personal designs inspired by family and everyday life. One camper, Videep Reddy, described the precision of building as part of the fun—“pretty therapeutic,” carefully cutting for “as perfect a cut as you can.”
That’s the design mindset we still teach: patience, iteration, pride in craft, and confidence in your own ideas.
A Bay Area Architecture Camp That’s Truly Local
DesignX is based in Los Altos, and we welcome families from across the Peninsula and South Bay Area, including:
Los Altos, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Menlo Park, Atherton, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Los Gatos, and Cupertino.
Looking for a Bay Area architecture camp for kids that’s hands-on and thoughtfully taught? You’re in the right place.
Why Architecture Is a Great Fit for Ages 10–15
Architecture naturally blends creativity with real-world thinking—without kids feeling like they’re “doing school.”
It supports:
Spatial reasoning (early geometry, but tangible)
Problem-solving (constraints become creative fuel)
Confidence through iteration (revisions are normal)
Real-world connection (kids start noticing design everywhere)
And because kids are surrounded by buildings, streets, parks, and classrooms every day, architecture is immediately relatable—exactly why founder Kalavagunta described it as a natural progression for DesignX in the original coverage.
Ready to Join Us?
If you’re looking for an architecture summer camp for kids in grades 5–9 in Los Altos, our Architectural Design program offers a full-week format that’s engaging, creative, and designed around how kids learn best.
Summer Programs 2026: SUMMER PROGRAMS 2026
Architecture Studio: ARCHITECTURE STUDIO
FAQ
Where is the DesignX architecture camp located?
Egan School, 102 W Portola Avenue, Los Altos.
How long is the session?
Five full days, Monday through Friday.
What age is this program for?
Architectural Design is designed for kids in grades 5–9.
Is this camp good for kids who do not like drawing?
Yes—architecture includes building, spatial thinking, and problem-solving which could be very engaging for a non-drawer. That said, drawing is a great way to communicate ideas and it’s a great opportunity to push the non-drawers gently outside their comfort zones while participating in other engaging modes of learning.