u/Agreeable_Wait_5659

I got accepted into Harvard Design Discovery 2026 this summer. I am doing the in-person session from July 13-31.

I'm an urban planning/design student really interested in urban design, social justice, creative placemaking, and equitable city design, so I'm excited but also curious what to expect from the program.

For anyone who has attended Design Discovery before (or knows people who have), what was the experience actually like?

A few things I'm wondering:

• How intense is the workload/studio culture?
• What kinds of projects do students usually work on?
• Is it more architecture-focused, or are these strong urban design/planning elements too?
• What was the community/networking aspect like?
• Any advice for making the most of the program in Boston?

Would love to hear honest experiences, things you wished you knew beforehand, or even portfolio tips before arriving. Thank you so much.