Our Approach

At Brooklyn Builders Studio, we curate a hands‑on, design‑forward learning environment where community members explore architecture through curiosity, creativity, and real materials. Our approach is rooted in thoughtful, sustainable practices and a studio culture that encourages iteration, collaboration, and confidence.

Screen-Free Studio

We believe the best learning happens through hands‑on engagement. Our core programs are intentionally screen‑free, with digital tools introduced only in designated courses.

Sustainable Materials

We use real, high‑quality, sustainable materials rather than Styrofoam or single‑use plastics. Students learn to build with intention, understand material behavior, and appreciate the environmental impact of design.

Portfolio-Based Learning

Every project is documented throughout the program.

  • Participants receive a photographed portfolio of their drawings and models.
  • We also store portfolios digitally, allowing returning students to build on their work over time.
Click Here to See Our Programs

In the Press

“Creative Kids Start Here: The Top NYC Arts Programs” — New York Family

Crain’s New York Business

Brooklyn Paper

New York Real Estate Journal

“Member Spotlight” — The Shop

Meet the Team

Brooke Holiday

Brooke founded Brooklyn Builders Studio with the goal of building a creative, inclusive, and welcoming space where community members can explore ideas, take creative risks, and build confidence as designers.

She brings two decades of experience in human capital and operations across Hong Kong, London, and New York, building teams and programs in fast‑moving global environments. She is on the Advisory Board of Old First Nursery School and a member of the PS 321 School Leadership Team.

Benjamin Hollberg

Benjamin is a licensed architect and educator with a career dedicated to making design accessible, engaging, and community‑centered. He is the founding principal of Hollberg Architecture PLLC, a Brooklyn‑based practice specializing in circular‑economy design solutions grounded in research, site specificity, and a commitment to public‑minded architecture.

As an educator, Benjamin has taught undergraduate and graduate architecture at Parsons School of Design, The City College of New York, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and The University of Hong Kong. His teaching focuses on conceptual design, drawing, model‑making, and the joy of hands‑on exploration, all of which shape the curriculum at Brooklyn Builders Studio.

Brooke and Benjamin live in Brooklyn with their two children and their dog, Yuki.

Summer Studio Instructors

Brianne Walcott

Brianne is a current architecture student at Pratt Institute whose work centers on model making, drawing, and hands-on studio craft. She has spent years working with children, beginning as a summer camp counsellor and continuing through her roles as a teaching assistant, tutor, and pre-college mentor at Pratt.

Teaching has always been a core passion for Brianne, and she brings a patient, empathetic approach that helps young learners feel supported as they explore new ideas. She was drawn to Brooklyn Builders Studio because it allows her to blend her love of teaching with her architectural training in a setting that values creativity, care, and confidence-building.

Marietta Pattison

Marietta Pattison is an artist and designer with a dual degree in Fine Arts and Urban Studies from Parsons School of Design and The New School. Her creative background spans drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and design-based thinking, supported by training in urban planning and community-centered design.
 
Marietta has coached K through 8 field hockey, where she developed a clear, encouraging approach to guiding young learners and helping them build confidence through practice. She was drawn to Brooklyn Builders Studio for its emphasis on hands-on, exploratory learning and its commitment to creating warm, inclusive environments where every child can see themselves as a designer.
 Daniel Gassenheimer
 
Daniel Gassenheimer is a recent architecture graduate from Washington University in St. Louis whose design practice is rooted in model making, drawing, and collaborative studio work. His experience includes serving as a university ambassador engaging with prospective students and families, community engagement work, and years of involvement with Scouts, where he supported younger participants through hands-on problem solving and patient guidance.
 
Daniel enjoys helping children explore design through building, experimenting, and imagining new spaces. He was drawn to Brooklyn Builders Studio because it brings together design, education, and community in one place, and he is excited to help young builders learn by creating and experimenting together.
 Elizabeth Zheng
 
Elizabeth Zheng is an architecture student at Washington University in St. Louis, studying Architecture with a minor in Art. Her work focuses on physical model making, technical drawing, and fabrication, supported by experience in interior design and workshop safety.
 
Elizabeth has guided high school students through design development at AIA New York and facilitated hands-on STEM activities for younger children at the Science Museum of Long Island. She was drawn to Brooklyn Builders Studio because her own path into architecture began in a program just like this one, and she is excited to be on the other side of that experience, helping young designers discover what they are capable of building.