There exists an interesting parallel between the power and the limits of architecture and its relationship to the human experience. This thesis proposes the question of how architecture can affect behavior in light of both the poetic and the practical in regards to the built environment. By understanding the user, incorporating the mission and goals of the client, and striving to connect aspects of the built environment to the two, architecture can act as a powerful influencer on behavior. These ideas, along with research (in camp history, play theory, young adolescent development and learning, experiential learning, environment-behavior relationships, the natural environment and place preference) are used for the planning and design of the summer camp for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis. The thesis serves as a guide for future development at the camp on Sardis Lake in Mississippi
