Vision

The Design + Construction Initiative (DCI) will serve as a resource for professional career development and research through the sponsorship of pipeline pathway development, workforce training, public symposia, publication of white papers, continuing education offerings, and public exposure of student work through the many community channels maintained by SARUP. The Initiative will engage faculty and students from the Department of Architecture as well as solicit and involve fellows from among SARUP’s distinguished alumni base to formulate, direct and guide the activities of the Initiative.

Key outcomes of the activities of the Initiative are to:

  • Engage in building a stronger and more diverse pipeline into architecture, construction, trades, and allied fields.
  • Innovate around sustainable building materials and practices to make a long-term impact on the construction industry.
  • Elevate the standard to which professionals in design and construction aspire such that their actions will contribute to a higher quality built environment.
  • Advance the relationship between architecture, the construction industry, industry trades partners, and allied fields in support of new training, new research, new curriculum, and new programs.

SARUP currently has a number of faculty and students engaged in full-scale construction projects using the advanced fabrication and prototyping facilities at SARUP.

A few examples of the most recent design and construction related projects at the school:

  • Research collaboration on Milwaukee’s mass timber project in partnership with the USDA Forest Products Lab in Madison
  • 10 plywood, mobile modular furniture prototypes designed for entrepreneurs in the Mobile Design Box space
  • 6 precast concrete designs in the Wells Precast Studio
  • 8 new affordable housing prototypes in the Habitat for Humanity Studio
  • 140 sophomores designed and built over 60 small scale interventions along the boundary perimeter of Milwaukee during COVID
  • SARUP’s virtual reality model of the SARUP building created in partnership with alums at Findorff
  • US Department of Energy annual Race to Zero Solar Decathlon Project 2nd place finish

One larger goal of the initiative is to meet additional community needs across the city by advancing new design and construction models for energy efficient affordable housing.

Studios

The Design + Construction Initiative will augment the coursework within the architecture program. Students will learn how to make good design and how to innovate efficient construction detailing, sustainable material selection, and budgets.

Continuing Education

The Design + Construction Initiative will provide continuing education opportunities for construction professionals. It will provide timely insight on critical issues beyond those traditionally associated with core construction topics including sustainability, historic preservation, LEED, and building retrofits.

Research

This initiative aims to improve the quality of the built environment and promote more informed professional practice by blending construction and design disciplines. We aim to impact design fields, advance construction practice through consulting on high-performance design projects, to collect critical data, develop construction standards to inform public policy, and to lead sustainable construction education and curriculum development.

Symposia

While architects design the way a building looks and works, they partner with the construction industry to decide how to build. Our architect/construction partnership provides students with an understanding of how to lead this process. The symposia will bring together individuals from a variety of perspectives to provide insights for students and professionals on industry trends and best practices.

Speaker Series

The Initiative will host a number of nationally recognized and accomplished individuals from varied areas of expertise for its Speaker Series.

Student Support

The Initiative will provide Teaching Assistantships for students interested in melding design and a career in construction.

Summer Youth/College Build Program

During summer 2022 we launched a new teen and college design/build program in partnership with NAF, UWM College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Milwaukee Public Schools (and Foundation), MATC, All Hands Boatworks, Journey House, and Metcalf Park Community Group. This 4-week program radically transformed the relationship between SARUP and high school students in Milwaukee Public Schools by bringing high school and college students together to design and build an eco-friendly community shade structure in Milwaukee. The program engaged high school students interested in engineering who completed a remote solar power station installed on the community pavilion.

2023 Design + Construction Summer Camp

In 2023, UW-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture & Urban Planning (SARUP) and College of Engineering & Applied Science (CEAS), in collaboration with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), partnered with NAF to host the second annual NAF Future Ready Scholars at UW-Milwaukee. This initiative focused on a hands-on design-build project in architecture and engineering. Building upon lessons from the inaugural year, the 2023 program introduced an innovative approach, merging engineering and architecture into a unified, project-based curriculum.
Scholars participated in a comprehensive learning experience, with 20 completing the program and earning certificates, stipends, and high school internship credit. They developed valuable skills and collaborated effectively.

During the program, participants experienced college life, learned and worked on campus, and attended college and career readiness workshops. They also gained insights into their client community’s needs and aligned their project with the community’s vision by visiting other parks in Milwaukee.

The scholars acquired architectural and engineering experience, including design principles, material strengths, and ergonomics. They visited an architecture firm, presented their designs to community clients, and constructed a unique seating structure.

The project concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by community members, families, and partners.

2024 Design + Construction Summer Camp

In 2024, UW-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture & Urban Planning (SARUP) and College of Engineering & Applied Science (CEAS), in collaboration with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) and Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), celebrated the start of their third year of the program with a rename from NAF Future Ready Scholars to UW-Milwaukee’s Design & Build Camp. This initiative focused on a hands-on design-build project in architecture and engineering. Building upon lessons from years one and two, the 2024 program merged engineering and architecture into an innovative, project-based curriculum.

UW-Milwaukee’s Design & Build Camp was designed to engage rising MPS high school juniors and seniors in STEM and college & career readiness activities within university settings. In the 2024 edition, students designed and built interactive seating structures for their customer, the Riverworks Development Corporation – a client of SARUP’s Community Design Solutions (CDS). The students’ work aimed to match ongoing improvements along Milwaukee’s Beerline Trail, a historic train route for Wisconsin beer distribution, now transformed into a recreational trail under the leadership of Riverworks.

At the end of the two-week camp, family, friends, community partners, and participants from the 2023 program celebrated the campers’ accomplishments.

Ongoing partnerships continue to strengthen between UWM’s Design & Build Camp and MPS as students experience lifechanging learning opportunities in STEM fields. A 2023 camp attendee has been awarded scholarship support for their five-year BArch degree at SARUP.

This program aligns with the goals of M3, a partnership between MPS, MATC, and UWM, dedicated to enhancing collaboration and coordination to reshape Milwaukee’s future through education. The generous support of the MPS Foundation and UWM ensured the program’s success.