The Architectural Foundation of San Francisco has created the Build San Francisco Institute, a half day high school program for students interested in design, construction, engineering and architecture. Located at 654 Mission Street, the Build San Francisco Institute is a unique community educational partnership, involving AFSF, San Francisco Unified School District and more than two dozen major San Francisco firms. The program combines a rigorous academic program with mentorships in the partner firms, so that students not only gain new knowledge, but also have the immediate experience of applying that knowledge in a real world setting.


Begun as an after school program sponsored by the Architectural Foundation of San Francisco, the Build San Francisco Institute has evolved into a full partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District as an integral part of the city’s public high school program. This program is the result of a ten year process that saw the program evolve from a six week summer mentorship experience into a fully accredited academic program.

The Build San Francisco Institute offers fully accredited courses in Architectural Design and Urban Sociology. Students work on real problems using the real tools professionals use, including such state of the art softweare programs as Autodesk 3D Studio Max and Autodesk Revit. In addition, it provides every student who joins the program with a mentorship with a major San Francisco architecture, engineering, construction or interior design firm and key civic agencies. Students may earn up to fifteen units of high school credit each semester. All credits earned appear on the students high school transcript and are approved by the University of California for college admission.

How to Enroll

The program is open to any San Francisco high school junior or senior, sixteen years of age or older. Interested students should contact their high school counselor and ask to be enrolled in the program. They then should download the application form, complete it and fax it to AFSF together with a one page essay explaining why they would like to be a part of the program.

Download the Application Form

Becoming a Mentor

Every Build San Francisco student receives credit by working with a mentor two afternoons each week. Mentors are working professionals who are paired with students that are interested in the work of that profession. Mentors meet regularly with the students and give students a first-hand look by involving them in the work of their firm. The Build San Franciso program has met with strong support from the entire building community including architects, engineers, general contractors, developers and policy organizations. We need your assistance in this effort to offer this opportunity to an increasing number of students. If you or your firm is interested in becoming a mentor, please email Will Fowler at will@afsf.org.

Architect Richard Hannum explains design and construction process to 2006 Build SF students.

The Tiles Project

In 2006, Build San Francisco instructor Casey Brennan and her students participated in the redesign of San Francisco’s Pier 14, by designing and creating sixteen ceramic tile installations for the pier. To learn more about this project download the Tiles.pdf newsletter produced by the students.

Participating Firms Include:

C&B Consulting Engineers
CCI Commercial Constructions and Improvements
Cahill Contractors
Carey and Co.Architecture
Farella Braun & Martell
Ford Graphics
Forell/Elsesser Engineers Inc.
450 Architects
Gate Capital Properties
Glumac
Guttman & Blaevoet
Hannum Associates
Hirsch-Bedner Associates
Holmes Culley
Hornberger + Worstell
KMD Architects
Murphy Burr Curry Inc.
Page & Turnbull
Plant Construction
The Port of San Francisco
Primus Infrastructure
RMW Architecture & Interiors
Severson & Werson
SMWM Architecture
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger
S.J. Amoroso Construction
Swinerton Builders
Teknion
Tom Eliot Fisch
Treadwell & Rollo

See A Quicktime Movie Describing our Program:

Launch Build San Francisco Movie

This file is 154 MB - Please be patient while downloading.

AFSF’s Build San Francisco Institute is part of the SFUSD’s Secondary School Redesign Initiative (SSRI). SSRI is funded by grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other community organizations. The Build San Francisco Institute also receives support from the Every Child Can Learn Foundation, McGraw–Hill Construction, the San Francisco Foundation, the Marin Community Foundation, the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, the California Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts, Autodesk, IBM, San Francisco Planning and Urban Research (SPUR), the Port of San Francisco, Hannum Associates, Tom Eliot Fisch, Hirsh Bedner Associates, Treadwell and Rollo, Swinerton Builders, S.J. Amoroso Construction Co., C & B Consulting, Page & Turnbull, Teknion, and Ford Graphics.