Community Design Solutions (CDS) at UWM is partnering with Milwaukee-based organization TRUE Skool to help envision a new, world-class space for youth arts programming shaped not just for young people, but by them.
TRUE Skool, known for its out of school engagement centered on arts, civic participation and entrepreneurship, is committed to creating a permanent home that reflects the creativity, energy and ambitions of the youth it serves.
Rather than relying solely on traditional design processes, the organization turned to CDS to help develop an approach that would meaningfully engage teens in shaping that vision.
Learning Design by Doing
Last year, CDS Graduate Assistant Molly Burns and Community Engagement Specialist Danya Almoghrabi led a multi-week workshop series with TRUE Skool participants.
The workshops introduced teens to core ideas in architecture and design, from spatial thinking to user experience, while guiding them through hands-on activities to generate their own ideas for the future space.
“Each week, it was really great to see the students pick up new design skills and grow more confident in their ideas,” Almoghrabi said.
“They weren’t just learning about the design process; they were designing a space they will get to use themselves. That sense of ownership and real-world impact made the process especially meaningful.”
Designing with Lived Experience
Through drawing, model-making and collaborative exercises, students were encouraged to think critically about the kinds of spaces they need, want and deserve. Then, they were asked to embed their own experiences in the design.
Zion, a TRUE Skool participant, centered his ideas on inclusivity.
“The main objective was to be able to have a space that felt inclusive,” he said. “Here, we all sit in a circle so we can discuss about everything… nobody’s left out.”
That thinking translated directly into his concept. He imagined the structure itself as circular.
Darii, a TRUE Skool student who focused on a DJ room, brought practicality into the process. In addition to all the essentials, like speakers and turntables, she added something the current location in the lower level of the former Grand Avenue Mall doesn’t have: windows.
“Down here, we don’t see outside. So, I made sure my DJ room had a window.”
Expanding Creative Pathways
A central goal of the collaboration was to expand awareness of design-related careers, particularly architecture, among young people. For some, the experience tapped into an idea that had already been brewing.
“I’ve been brainstorming ways to come up with my own architecture portfolio,” Zion said. “It made me think more about different opportunities and jobs I can go forth with.”
For many others, the process opened up new ways of thinking about space and possibility.
“I used to think that I could never do architecture,” said Charlize, another TRUE Skool student. “But as I started learning more about how buildings are structured, I thought it was pretty cool because it’s done in steps, like math. Things like that stimulate my mind.”
Charlize also began to see connections between architecture and her creative interests.
“It’s also like music,” she explained. “You got the plain structure… but then you got the space in the middle to do what you want to do.”
From Ideas to Impact
The process culminated in a public presentation at TRUE Skool’s annual showcase, where students shared their ideas with the broader community. The importance of youth voice remained central throughout.
“Young people are actually gonna be in the space,” Charlize said. “So young people should have the biggest say, honestly.”
Darii agreed, adding simply, “Who better to design this space… than somebody who’s been here?”
Zion framed it as an opportunity for empowerment and impact: “It gives us more of a power to inspire other people. So, it becomes like a cycle of learning and education.”
Carrying the Vision Forward
Today, ideas developed by TRUE Skool students are being further developed by architecture firm HGA, under the direction of Lyssa Olker, design principal at HGA and a member of the CDS Industry Advisory Committee.
“At HGA, we are excited to be partnering with TRUE Skool to advance equity and opportunity through thoughtful, community-centered design,” said Olker.
“By authentically engaging and empowering youth with education, we will invest in the next generation of creative leaders. Together, we can create inclusive spaces that amplify youth voices and foster meaningful, lasting change within the community.”
The partnership between CDS and TRUE Skool reflects a growing commitment at UWM to engage communities in design. By placing young people at the center of the process, the project not only envisions a new space, but also cultivates creative curiosity for years to come.
For Darii, the takeaway was simpler but just as powerful: “I learned that I can do anything in life… by trying.”
Story by Oliver J. Johnson | Headshots by Evan Xiong