After working all month at Florence Architects, my interest in architecture has grown. I observed how architects have to work with so many different people whom all wish to have the same goal. It is all collaboration. The architect gets to create the design and then work with engineers, clients, and the city. I how found interest in that they all work together and have to critique and fix the architects work. They have to make it make sense for a contractor. Most of the communication about design happens through paper, not direct speaking. The information I gained through observing this process, I had become more interested in the profession. As an architect, there is more creativity that combines with the knowledge of science and codes.
During internship, I asked many questions about what architecture school looks like and how to start preparing now. Much of what we talked about is in school you are mainly designing and designing. Architecture school helps immensely in working the programs necessary for a career. Then, at Woodbury, where Jason went to school, they had to present their designs to a panel of teachers. His experience revolved around obtaining harsh critique from the teachers. They are ruthless with blunt commentary. While at school or trying to join a school, the thing to think about creating is a portfolio. Portfolios are a way to show a person designs you have created and display the process that you went through to make it. When applying for a job at Florence architects, Jason looks primarily at the applicant's ability to use the SketchUp and Layout. It does not need to have the most out of this world or creative designs, but the display of knowledge in the program. Overall, internship gave me a detailed look into not only the day to day of an architect but the work that is needed to get there. This summer or next year, I plan to take some drafting classes to begin to prepare to think about designs. As of now, I only know how to use SketchUp and Layout. Almost all companies employ some form of the AutoCAD system or Revit. These are much more technical programs that require more time and instruction than what I know now. SketchUp is very self-explanatory and design heavy, it is easy to learn while practicing. From internship, I have a start to my portfolio and realize what I need to do to get in the schools I wish to go to, as well as how a detailed design looks.
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My project was particularly important to me for a few reasons. First, I went through some of the basic rounds of architecture. Starting with an idea and restrictions I was able to work through some of the design processes an architect goes through. I had to learn to work with multiple programs that function to create different designs of the same thing. Importance also came with simply observing my mentor and his employees. I was able to see how necessary collaboration is in this business. He has two employees who help with drafting designs while he takes care of all the business side and main designs that they produce. One design goes through many rounds of revision and critique. My own project went through at least ten in the short time I was given. It has to be perfect to the most minute detail, everything has to be thought about over and over again.
When I started my project, I had not used any of the programs that I now know how to use. Once I learned the basics, I was able to start and create some basic walls. It quickly developed into the first-floor plan. The floor plan is where Jason, my mentor, was able to make many of the changes. Then, once I got passed that I had to work on elevations, roof plans, and section cuts. Each of these is supposed to give every description a contractor needs to build the house you are designing. Below are the photos of my final product! Internship became meaningful to me through the real world experience I gained in a an area I truly am interested in. First off, I was able to see how small business is run, I say small but they have many projects going on at once. The work was split up and organized methodically across all team members. Then, I was able to ask questions to somebody who has gone through all of the education I would need to get to be licensed as an architect. I asked questions throughout the whole process as they came up, not having to research but getting in depth answers of my questions. Lastly, I saw how a business does not need to run by the normal standard for a practice. Florence Architects is different in that they are completely run off of SketchUp instead of a AutoCAD system. This has its advantages and disadvantages, but it works well for them, and is something that very few to no other practices are doing. Through this I was able to see how Jason very clearly researched how to be different yet successful at the same time.
During my internship project, I was able to learn an abundance of information about the area of architecture. As stated before, I was able to ask questions of any sort. Many of these pertained to the program I was using, but there were a variety around the schooling of architecture. The schooling is a mystery because I have not spoken to many architects and overall, it became much less of a mystery to me. It is a profession that mixes art and math, that was one of the ;largest curiosities for me. As an intern, I gained far more respect for architects and who they have to deal with. I had already known about how a client may be annoying to a project, but not the many parties that they have to deal with. A plan for a house must go through many revisions from different professionals. Some of the people who may see one single plan include civil engineers, clients, the city, and structural engineers. I got this new appreciation because there are many more steps before the plans reach any of these people. They may be tedious steps but are just as important. Internship has not necessarily changed the direction that I hope to go in with my life, but confirmed what I had already planned on. Internship opened my eyes to many other options in architecture, and what being an architect really means. Starting out of college you are not immediately following your dream designs, there may be much drafting for others before then. At Florence Architects, Jason creates many of the designs and has his employees make many of the revisions the pieces need. All of these contribute to the final design. So far in internship, self advocacy has been an area that needs constant effort. Ninety-nine percent of the work I am doing is up to me to complete, and ask questions about. The project I am currently working on has provoked me to ask a great deal of questions surrounding city code and general standards within architecture. Each question I have asked so far, gave me a wealth of knowledge in return that I could never find on the internet. Each day I am at internship around ten to thirty minutes before anyone, in that time I start my work.
I feel that I am fitting the goal of “being an intern everyone remembers”, for a few reasons. First, as stated before, I am being proactive in asking questions and really trying to learn the new programs I am dealing with. All the work assigned to me I am completing thus far. Second, I have been a consistent worker, always on time, and working that whole time. There are days where I am there before anyone else, in those days I still stick to my work ethic and finish what needs to be done. During internship, I will be going through the initial phases of a house design that an architect goes through. This starts with simple sketches of the possible floor plan that meet the requirements the architect is given. Then once they are more polished, creating the floor plan in SketchUp/Layout takes place. This may go through multiple revisions, more or less fine tuning while it is still very malleable. The next steps go into creating the exterior design and more revisions of the project. I plan to get as far along in this process as I can.
Skills necessary in order to have a well-produced product revolve around persistence and fine-tuning. As a design progresses, persistence is key to having a fresh mindset. For me, much trouble has come within SketchUp and my ability to use every aspect fo it. Then, with fine-tuning something, it is necessary that everything down to the inch is perfect. It needs to be the same on every single piece that you see the floor plan. All of the support that I need for my project simply comes from my mentor, I just need a direction then I can work alone and keep adding to my project. The programs I have been using are complex and I have constant questions running through my head on them, some I figure out and some I do not, but I am making progress none the less. During my interview with Jason Florence, my mentor, we went through all of the questions I had. The following are the ones that I feel are the most beneficial to me.
What is a typical workday like?: A typical day is anything but typical for Jason. He started Florence Architects after he had worked as a freelance draftsman/architect. They are a small firm with three employees as of now. All of the designs are started, or at the very least run through Jason many times, this takes up some of his days. Then there is the fact that they are still a business. A quote from him that stood out to me was, “Ideally I would be able to have my day split with fifty percent of the time designing and fifty with running the business. Most of the day for him is dedicated to emails and possibly some site visits in there too, or even driving to the city to get plans approved. There is not nearly as much designing and drafting for him anymore, especially with Dylan and Theo. Both of them are the editors and draftsman of the firm. All of their days are spent taking revisions from Jason and applying them to the multitude of projects going on at once. To sum it up, a typical day involves lots of business, emails, meetings, and maybe some presentations for future clients. What do you learn in architecture school versus real word experience? This question lingered in my mind, especially around architecture. It is a profession where you can obtain a architecture license with or without schooling. Architecture school is generally a five-year program that then ends with you working under a licensed architect for two years, after that you can take the exam to be a licensed architect. The schooling is an option, all seven years can be done under an architect if you get hired. Jason’s unique experience of owning his own firm, working with other firms, becoming a licensed architect not many years ago, as well as going to school for the profession gave a new outlook. He spoke about how schooling is much more technical and the skills associated with being a lead architect. Dylan had never been to college when he applied but simply knew how to use SketchUp well. You are drafting and creating designs of your choosing, following your dream designs lots of the time. While he said in the real world there is much more business oriented and he wishes that he took more classes surrounded around that. Yet both provide meaningful experiences for the field itself. What do you look for in a portfolio for people applying? When applying for a job at Florence Architects, he is not only wholly looking for somebody who has the most creative and out of this world resume. But more so a resume that portrays a sign of skill and knowledge of the program they use, SketchUp. He needs to see that they have an above average intelligence in it and would be comfortable creating something that he needs. A portfolio is something that Jason himself had not needed for years until last week when a contractor requested one. I saw his example of a collection. It consisted of renders of all types while having not only houses but little furniture pieces that displayed a design process. How are AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp different? What is used most prominently? AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp are some of the leading 3-D modeling software used in architecture. AutoCAD is older than me and has made a name for itself as something every architect should know without question. He spoke about how many firms assume that an applicant has knowledge of the highly technical program. Revit is slightly newer and is more similar to AutoCAD in its sense of technicality. SketchUp is a very user-friendly design oriented program that is often used in schools, not as much the professional world. Each offer different approaches to the same challenges, but SketchUp requires less exact measurements, you could eyeball a ratio if you wanted, but the others need a precise mind. Each individual firm uses their preferred program, there is not merely one correct one. Reflection: What strikes me about internship so far is SketchUp as a program. It has taken me far less time than I expected to make a simple cube. I know that as a program, it is less rigorous than the others, but I am still astonished at what can be made with it. I am unable to currently making anything as spectacular as what I have seen from Jason and Dylan. Yet, the first week of creating and revising has been a significant step up from what I could have imagined I would be doing right now. There were many worries in my head about being able to make progress in these tasks. That being said, the skill I have is still at the beginning of being a beginner. Progress is being made in the visual creation section, but Jason is teaching me much of the restrictions with building a house and giving me a whole new perspective on what I walk in every day. There is far more effort with different parties. The first thing I noticed upon arriving at Florence Architects was the welcoming environment. Jason and Dylan both were more than willing to help with any questions I had. Trust me there were a lot of questions career day held many then they did not stop on my first day of work. What strikes me most about my colleagues is the wide range of responsibilities they have, but still work efficiently together on multiple projects simultaneously. As a small firm, they work together with Jason creating many of the larger designs, and Dylan helping with lots of the accent pieces along with any other work needed to be completed on a project. As well as help me with the 3-D design software we use called SketchUp. Architecture is acutely similar to what I expected it to be. Lots of work on houses, while making revisions due to city code or critique. I am still surprised by the amount of effort put in to create a design that is able to be read by a contractor or somebody other than an architect. The vision must be clear for all parties and there is a large amount of work put into making this work. Currently, I am most excited to continue working on the design I started this week. It is my first time using all of these programs and so far I am feeling confident in the whole thing. Yet, at the same time, I am worried about the timeline of the whole thing. I have an entire internship to work on it but as a novice, it is taking me a long time.
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