Design Learning, Designs Futures

Connecting youth with professionals and providing skills, inspiration and a deep understanding of what it takes to create and build the environment of our future.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! At the Architectural Foundation of San Francisco, we are endlessly grateful to all the students who have participated in our programs (congratulations to the 2021 Design Ideas Collective award winners!), as well as everyone who has supported our students in their sincere efforts to dive into the world of design and to apply their creativity

AFSF Fitness Challenge

AFSF Fitness Challenge! Lace up your sneakers and get moving for the 2021 AFSF Virtual Fitness Challenge! How many times can you run, walk, or bike the equivalent distance of all 8 of the bridges that span the SF Bay, in just 4 weeks? Raise money for AFSF student programs and scholarships with every step you take.

2021 Design Ideas Collective is live!

2021 Design Ideas Collective is live! This year’s challenge is to design a housing community that includes an inviting and vibrant public realm. Fri. Nov. 19, 2021 – Submission entries due Sun. Nov. 21, 2021 – Virtual Awards Ceremony Given four city blocks, design a community with . . . housing density homes laid out

Our Mission

The mission of the Architectural Foundation of San Francisco is to enhance the awareness and appreciation of architecture and the design process in the local community.

Key Programs

2021 Saturday Design Studio

Join us online on for a 4-week dive into digital design for high school students. Learn high tech digital design tools (such as Autodesk Revit and SketchUp) and use them to create original designs for real world challenges. Participants will also receive weekly 1-on-1 mentoring by a professional architect or engineer.

Saturdays, 10am – noon (PDT)

Oct 16 – Nov 6, 2021
Jan 22 – Feb 19, 2022
Apr 16 – May 7, 2022

2021 Design Ideas Collective

In this 2nd annual event, high school students are invited to consider design solutions to address the intersection of our housing and climate crises in proposing a design for a growing and thriving city.

Fri. Nov. 19, 2021 – Submission entries due
Sun. Nov. 21, 2021 – Virtual Awards Ceremony

Propose creative solutions!
Receive feedback from design professionals!
Win awards!

"The critical thinking and software skills you learn with AFSF will take you really far in this profession, or help you in many others."

"My daughter learned a lot. I was amazed by how comfortable everyone was with the technology and working online together. It gives me hope for more learning opportunities online in these new challenging times."

"Who knows if these students will go on to become architects, landscape architects or designers, but I think having the exposure, will lend them an appreciation of building design as they navigate through life. To be honest, I wish there were workshops like this in all disciplines to give our youth exposure to everything that is out there."

"Build-SF is such a great program for high school students who have a passion for architecture, engineering or design. I see job applications today in architecture and interior design that require learning software programs like Revit that we learned with AFSF. AFSF definitely gives a leg up for high schoolers who want to get into the field and also apply to colleges for a major in architecture or engineer or design."

"Thanks to my experience at AFSF, I was able to get an awesome job working at the SF International Airport. The computer skills are particularly useful to me because I use them all the time."

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