Youth Program
Make Something. Learn Something. Build Something Real.
Middle school students joined architects Ryan Hong, Robo Gerson, and Karen Seong, in partnership with AIA San Francisco, for a hands-on workshop built around a simple principle: be brave with your ideas. Participants developed real design thinking skills as they explored the dynamics of form and space, and discovered how architects turn ideas into the world around us. No experience was needed, just curiosity.
This workshop was part of the 2026 Youth Design Festival, presented during Architecture Week 2026 by AIA San Francisco and the Center for Architecture + Design. This event has already taken place.
Ryan Hong, a licensed architect in California and New York, boasts extensive experience working on diverse architectural typologies. Possessing a keen interest in creative processes and continuous learning, Ryan is especially proficient in digital fabrication. Ryan is currently a senior job captain at Marmol Radziner and an instructor at the Academy of Art University and has previously worked with Studio Pali Fekete in Los Angeles, Bjarke Ingels Group in New York, and WRNS Studio in San Francisco. He holds a Master of Architecture from UCLA.
Robo Gerson’s design philosophy draws on his love for photography, carpentry, vintage cars, and motorcycles. His professional background includes everything from parks, bridges, and municipal projects to single and multi-family residences, including his own in San Francisco’s Ingleside neighborhood. Joining Síol as partner in 2012, he brings to the practice a belief in simple and honest materials and an extensive understanding of how to move a project seamlessly from conception to completion.
Karen Seong is the director of the School of Architecture at the Academy of Art University, where she champions online education as a pathway to diversifying the profession and believes deeply that architects have a responsibility to serve the public. Under her leadership, student work has earned an AIASF Leadership Award and national media recognition, and her commitment to youth engagement extends from the classroom to the community. A former associate at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, she has led award-winning projects across the US, Kuwait, and beyond. Karen is a licensed architect, LEED AP, and NCARB certified, and serves on the AIASF board. She holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a BA from UC Berkeley, and is a professional member of the National Organization of Minority Architects.
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