Real Matter Summer Workshop
An annual summer workshop for students and young professionals in Raleigh focused on rethinking what architecture can do
In an area that’s growing as fast as the Triangle, questions about design aren’t abstract, they’re urgent. Who gets to shape the public realm? Who’s welcome in a space, and who’s left out? What can architects really do in the face of rising inequality, climate pressure, and social fragmentation?
These are the questions at the center of REAL MATTER, an annual summer design workshop hosted by Raleigh’s own in situ studio. The workshop brings together students and young professionals from across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for two intensive weeks of research, design, and public engagement, all rooted in the physical and social landscape of Raleigh.
While the work is local, the implications reach far beyond the city.
Why It Exists
REAL MATTER exists because the built environment, shaped by decades of planning decisions, disinvestment, and displacement, demands more intentional, more inclusive thinking. This is a workshop for people who want to approach architecture not just as a profession, but as a civic practice. One that takes seriously the ways people live, move, gather, and struggle in urban space.
The program centers on a two-week design workshop, where participants work in teams to identify a problem in the city and propose a design response. Along the way, they hear from practitioners, planners, and policy thinkers through an evening lecture series, and tour key sites and buildings across Raleigh.
It’s fast, collaborative, and grounded in the realities of the city.
What the Work Looks Like
In past years, teams have addressed everything from urban disconnection to homes for the unhoused.
One project, Above Ground, designed by Ogechi Oseji, Julie Powers, and Jainami Shah, proposed a system of bridges that reconnected downtown Raleigh with its surrounding neighborhoods and Dix Park, crossing over the wide, car-dominated MLK Jr. Boulevard. The bridges aren’t just about access, they are about creating civic moments in places usually shaped by traffic infrastructure.
Another, Park Yourself, designed by Madeleine Cole, Hawraa Hasan, Kona Peterson, and Sahar Teymouri, focused on the presence of public space in the Warehouse District, a part of the city where redevelopment has priced out many and erased gathering places. The team’s proposal: a series of sturdy benches and wayfinding tools to create a welcoming network for Raleigh’s unhoused population. The benches aren’t decorative; they are designed as civic infrastructure, subtle but significant.
In both cases, the proposals reflected a kind of design thinking that’s deeply engaged and refreshingly direct, a clear attempt to understand a complex problem and offer something back.
Who’s Behind It
REAL MATTER is run by In Situ studio, a small, design-focused architecture practice based in Raleigh. Known for their modernist lineage and thoughtful, often understated buildings, the firm also sees teaching and public engagement as central to their work.
Their approach, both in practice and in the workshop, is pragmatic, curious, and community-minded. As a studio, they’ve built a reputation for caring as much about how things get built as what gets built.
REAL MATTER is an extension of that ethos.
Who Should Apply
This opportunity is open to:
Undergraduate students in accredited architecture programs (U.S., Canada, Mexico) who’ve completed at least three years of coursework
Graduate students with at least one year of professional study
Emerging professionals within their first five years of practice (unlicensed)
The 2025 workshop will run from July 27 to August 9, with a final application deadline of May 11. Tuition will be under $800, and scholarships are available—particularly for students from the Southern U.S. and for applicants from underrepresented backgrounds in architecture. Room and board are not included, but in situ studio partners with local vendors to reduce costs, and overall living expenses are estimated at around $600 for the duration.Applications require a portfolio, a reference, and a short essay. While the application link isn’t currently live, interested applicants are encouraged to email workshop@insitustudio.us directly.
Why It Matters to Us
If you follow CITYBUILDER, you're invested in the idea that design, development, and policy can help build a more equitable Triangle region, and you recognize the urgency in the kinds of questions REAL MATTER is tackling. It’s not just a workshop, it’s a civic design project in its own right, offering real-time insight into the challenges our cities face and the creative ways we might meet them.
Not eligible to apply? You can still be part of the ecosystem. REAL MATTER is always looking for local sponsors (ie. developers, firms, and institutions) who want to support emerging talent and invest in new ideas for Raleigh’s future.
Because if we want better cities, we have to support the people willing to ask better questions–and offer better answers.
Kyaira Boughton is a visiting student from Duke Kunshan University, pursuing a dual degree in Computation and Design with a focus on Social Policy. With expertise in GIS, 3D modeling, and urban policy, Ky combines technical and social insights to effectively analyze and communicate complex urban design concepts.
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I got asked to speak at this series but had to decline because of a scheduling conflict.
I have attended the Real Matter series in past years, and it was excellent!