At CCY Architects, mentorship is a meaningful extension of our work—one that allows us to inspire, guide, and learn alongside the next generation of architects and designers. Across Colorado and through national programs like AIA Architecture Week, our team is actively engaging with young minds—fostering creativity, design literacy, and a deeper connection to the built environment.
This winter, CCY Architect Will Young participated in Aspen Art Museum’s Teaching Artists program an initiative created by the AAM which establishes a dialogue between artists and educators in the Roaring Fork Valley. In addition to valuable education experience, Teaching Artists participants have the chance to connect and network with local arts organizations.
During AAM’s Youth Art Expo 2025, students explored this year’s theme, Architecture & Imagination. Among the participants was the son of CCY’s Interior Design Director, Melanie Grant, who proudly stood beside his mentor, Will, during the exhibition. Their shared enthusiasm underscores the importance of early exposure to architecture in shaping future creatives.
CCY Architects, Will Young with a young designer.
Further down the valley at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, CCY Architect Daniel Katebini is co-leading a month-long architecture workshop for middle school students. The program challenges students to design observation towers—focused on themes like fire, wildlife, and stargazing—on local riverfront sites. Drawing inspiration from natural materials and the surrounding landscape, students are learning how architecture can reflect and respond to place.
Anderson Ranch Arts Center youth architecture workshop co-led by CCY Architects Daniel Katebini
CCY’s mentorship continues beyond K–12. This winter, CCY ID Director, Melanie Grant supported Colorado State University senior Sierra Zanier on her capstone project, the Shining Stars Hotel. Designed as a sanctuary for families facing pediatric illness, the hotel is rooted in the metaphor of a "mooring anchor"—a symbol of stability and care. Incorporating biophilic design and universal accessibility, Sierra’s work exemplifies the impact of guidance, empathy, and thoughtful design. "Supporting students on their capstone projects is incredibly fulfilling, as it represents the culmination of all they have learned throughout their collegiate journey"., says Grant. "Their positive creativity is truly inspiring, and being part of their early professional growth is both motivating and energizing".
Through initiatives like these, CCY is investing in the next generation of architects, empowering students of all ages to explore how architecture and design can transform lives and shape communities.
“Teaching reminds me that the creative process is often a vague and unpredictable thing, ideation is your friend and as Rick Rubin suggests “Inspiration tends to show up in play.”
