Pop-Up City
AIA Coastal Virginia is proud to partner with Town Center of Virginia Beach to present Pop-Up City, a one day cardboard building event that transforms the heart of the city into a hub of creativity and imagination. This event celebrates the role of architects and aims to inspire kids of all ages through hands-on design. Set at the Town Center Fountain Plaza, this interactive experience invites kids, families, and the broader community to think like architects and create a playful, human scale city within a real urban setting.
Taking place Saturday, July 11 from 10 AM to 4 PM, with installations beginning at 8 AM, the public is encouraged to watch the city come to life and take part in the building process. Activities include a Children’s Build Zone, hands on STEAM learning stations for all ages, and dedicated areas for both amateur and professional builders.
STEAM Stations:
The STEAM zone will feature a series of hands-on activities led by volunteers from architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms, as well as related organizations. These stations will be similar in spirit to the activities from our recent STEAM initiatives at the Chrysler Museum of Art and the Creative Well Foundation — interactive, approachable, and focused on introducing kids to design concepts like structure, balance, spatial planning, and problem-solving. Each station will offer a quick, engaging activity that allows kids to jump in, create something, and learn through doing.
Children’s Build Zone:
The Build Zone will be centered around cardboard as a creative building material, using boxes collected through donations from the AIA Coastal Virginia community. Some boxes will be painted in bright, fun colors and used as large, block-like elements for collaborative, life-sized building. Others will remain unpainted and available for smaller-scale, more detailed creations.
The event continues into the evening with family friendly music and entertainment as part of the Summer Fest program provided by Town Center.
Visitors will be given stickers to vote for their favorite builds throughout the day. Winners for the People’s Choice (1st, 2nd, 3rd place) will be announced during the evening Summer Fest program.
Building on the success of AIA CoVA’s Pop-Up Parks, this event highlights the power of architecture to inspire creativity, support community well being, and enhance everyday life. Pop-Up City builds on Town Center’s vibrant Cultural Arts District by making architecture accessible to all, inviting artists, makers, students, and families to engage in a dynamic, walkable, and visually engaging public space.
There is currently no rain date, Pop-Up City will proceed in light rain. In the event of a major storm or dangerous winds, the event will be postponed. July conditions are typically hot and sunny–staying hydrated and having cover from the sun in your designated build area is recommended.
