I M DONE
Sorry for the wait. I am officially done with co-op and in ROMA. Follow me on my new blog:
www.iminrome.wordpress.com
Thanks and enjoy!
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I.M. Winding down
Only 7 work days left so I thought it was about time I shared another post with you all (don’t worry, it will not be the last. I plan on at least one last additional hurrah). Though my time here is coming to an end, I have had the chance to work on an exciting project this past week that I thought I’d share with you.
As I think I have mentioned before, BH+A specializes in athletic design. I have worked on a lot of drawings for community centers, boys and girls clubs, and fitness clubs. This past week, I actually had the opportunity to help in an interior design aspect of a large indoor poor complex being built in Virginia.
The actual natatorium itself includes an Olympic size pool, for competitions, as well as a more recreational pool for public and family use. So, one can imagine the space is quite large to house two bodies of water. What I find interesting about the design and site is that the Aquatic Center is being built into a hill. One will enter the building on ground level, but then go down a level to access the pool which is technically underground. Because of this typography, the natural light that enters the large natatorium actually comes from above, leaving a large blank wall at the head of the two pools with a narrow horizontal slit of glazing above.
To make this wall less of a bore and more a focal point the architects and clients agreed that the wall should become some sort of mosaic tile mural. The clients went ahead and submitted a design for the wall, and to say the least, they don’t have much of an eye for the arts. Their design was not impressive or inspiring. In response, we are sending back to them some more artistic design ideas for the wall. I was asked to work on this along with a principal at the firm. It was an exciting opportunity (and change of pace) and I’m glad I had the chance to do so. We took several ideas, most from photos and art pieces and then abstracted them into simple colors on a tiled grid. I also worked on adding text above the mural that would still act in a design aspect and not just as flat type. After several adjustments in color, shape, and scale the images were rendered into a 3-d model so the client can better visualize our new concepts when they are presented this week.
I am anticipating their response and I hope they appreciate what we have created.
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I.M. advertising
Must see exhibit at New York City’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA):
Bauhaus 1919-1933: Workshops for Modernity
It just opened last weekend, I saw it on opening day (I know, I’m special). It’s running through January 11th so if you make it to NYC before then you need to go take a peek. The exhibit is very well done with a clear precession through time and concentrations on several of the Bauhaus professors and students. There is a wide range of displays from drawings to prints to photos, as well as models and furniture. Really great pieces and very large collection of them.
Well thats my cultural recommendation. Hope someone takes my advice and goes for a visit!
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I.M…running out of good ones
I.M…
Really, truly, I’ve been meaning to write to you, I have. It’s just been this and then some of that and suddenly I have only a mere five weeks left here at BH+A. While we (you and I, that is) are on the topic of countdowns, here are a few more on my own personal list:
2 weeks until Thanksgiving
5 weeks and a few days until I move home
8 weeks until my birthday
9 weeks until I leave for a four month stint in ROME
As you can see, I have a lot to look forward to in the next few months. And don’t think I will be disappearing from your lives while I’m out of the country. I plan on continuing a blog with updates on my adventures in Italia! (I know you were worried, you can breathe now, everything will be okay).
With all this excitement out of the way, I will stop all the discussion on the future and continue with some on the present life of moi.
Last week I tried my hand at a new task (or “exercise” as my colleagues sometimes describe such assignments). The firm recently won a bid on a National Historic Park project to redo or design a new visitor center. I was asked to fill out a Program Data Sheet. This involved analyzing each space by describing its purpose, square footage, occupancy (determined by using the International Building Code (IBC)), materiality (finishes included), electrical and mechanical needs, as well as determining the need for furnishings and equipment. All said and done I ended up creating a thirty-something page document summarizing this information. I enjoyed this “exercise” not only because it gave me a chance to step away from Photoshop, but because I got a chance to look at many different aspects of the design and then combine them all together.
Last update, I included the recipe of the week. Today I am going to share with you…
THE TIP OF THE DAY
11/11 Tip (this is for the kiddies): Learn the newest programs.
I’m excited to say that after a definite rough patch in the field of architecture caused by the recent economic downfall, things are picking up! At least, that is what seems to be the case at BH+A. They are slowly but surely hiring back staff and the firm is growing and gaining more jobs. That being said, to keep up with competition and the highest forms of technology, the firm is making a point in only hiring new staff with tremendous computer skills, specifically the ability and knowledge to use Revit. I recommend that if you don’t know it, learn it. I am pretty sure that students can download it free (try cadcampus.com). DEFINITELY do this. You will thank me later.
One last tidbit for the day…
Archinerds, yes you, check out this guys blog. Its awesome. Enough said.
Archidose.blogspot.com
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I.M…missed?
I know. I know. Its been awhile. My apologies, but this thing, called WORK, has totally wiped me out. And, no offense WORK, but once I part with you for the day, I don’t really have the urge to think about you, or discuss you, or make a new post about you.
Yet, here I am. I thought all of my loyal fans may be interested in an update on my life. So here it is.
BUSY BUSY BUSY
As I explained before, my main responsibilities at BH+A are creating new sets of marketing drawings for their portfolios. They then use these drawings when bidding on new projects and for proposals. There are no set deadlines for the marketing drawings, so other BH+A employees and architects are free to pull me from marketing when they need a little extra help. This flexibility is definitely a plus. I have now had the opportunity to work on several other current projects within the firm.
Here is a (somewhat vague) list of what I have had the chance to work on:
- finish boards (small samples of the materials to be used on interiors of projects)
- construction documents in cad (plans, sections, elevations, roof plans, door schedules, etc.)
- site visits to evaluate existing conditions of a potential future project
- diagrams portraying several square footage combinations for clients
- digital as well as physical models to demonstrate several different floor finish combinations
Please feel free to ask me for expansions on any of these descriptions.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
I’m not a huge caffeine addict in the least. I have a cup of joe in the morning to start my day with a kick. Most days that’s all I need. But there are exceptions. Some afternoons need what I call the “G-BLITZ”
- Dump one packet of hot chocolate in a mug.
- Fill mug 1/4 of the way with STRONG coffee.
- Fill rest with hot water.
- Top off with one cold creamer.
Viola. Perfection. Enjoy.
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IMparting My Wisdom
As I (gotchya) promised, the saga continues…
The most pleasant part of this experience was transitioning from my past internship at a very large firm (about 200 employees in just one office) to my current position at BH+A, which employs around 30 people. Now, to each their own, but a work environment where I know every single persons name, extension, and seat, just makes everything much more comfortable (and a hell of a lot easier).
The marketing drawings I am working on are a mix and match of the several archetypes the firm specializes in; housing, recreational centers, childcare centers, and small transportation hubs. Because my work involves their entire spectrum, I have the privilege of working with several architects from each department, to make sure I portray everything necessary in the final drawings.
Another plus of working on a range of projects is the ability to really take the time to understand the firm’s design approach to so many different programs. I have definitely been able to read clear themes and patterns in their organization of spaces, forms, and materials in each different type of project.
I.M. Pained
When I first started my internship in July, I noticed a few people in the office with broken wrists. Weird trend – right? I mean maybe one person I can understand, but three or four? Or maybe five?
“There must be some slippery floors around here. I better watch out!” I thought to myself, being a somewhat awkward and clumsy one myself.
Those wrist wraps never went away – and its not because these people take forever to heal…
…It’s that stupid mouse! All the clicking! Oh! The clicking!
My right wrist is absolutely killing me and I know that is exactly why. I know what you are thinking, too, NERD alert. No. WEAK nerd alert.
I am too embarrassed to put one of those things on my wrist. So I’ll probably deal with the pain until I cave and try one of those mouse pads with the big hump on it that keeps your wrist elevated.
I’ll let you know how it goes. But this is just a fair warning – working hurts.
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I.M.Payed
Lesson 1
Listen up grasshoppers – being on co-op is like getting paid for doing your studio work. Which, therefore, makes it way better than being in class. Lesson one is very simple.
CO-OP > class
It’s as easy as that.
I.M. less stressed on co-op. I have more free time. I have more fun time. But… I’m super tired after co-op. Working 9-5 tends to make me sleepy and a tad bit lazy.
I have worked at an architectural firm before, but so far my experience at BH+A surpases my previous exposure to the working world. First of all, they were prepared for me on day one with a list of projects for me to work on. Basically my work at BH+A has been marketing-focused. I take projects that BH+A has designed, most have already been built and if not are in the process of being built, and turn them into marketing drawings.
This involves meticulous cleaning up of existing cad drawings. Which actually leads me into a second lesson…
Lesson 2
Lineweights are important.
(It’s true, they weren’t just nagging you that day in class)
I have created a system for organizing lineweights. The process involved many redo’s and many wasted sheets of paper (I would estimate the loss of an entire tree is due to my excessive printing habits), but I finally got it just right. This system helps me and will help anyone else at the firm when doing marketing drawings in the future.
After my eyes stop bleeding from staring at cad files, I export the drawings into photoshop where plans are color-coded and labeled, elevations are rendered, and detailed color site plans are created. I make a set of these for each project.
I can understand that after reading this primary description of my duties as an intern your eyes might hurt too. I assure you, its not quite as horrible as it sounds. Though it has made me tired just thinking of all those lines. So, I will return later with the beneficial (and hopefully more interesting) aspects of these daily excercises.
Please don’t get bored with me already! I promise it does get better. (I also promise that the I.M. Pei word plays will stop… when I run out funnies… but right now the possibilities seem endless!)
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I.M. On Co-op
I.M. (definitely not) Pei.
I’ve never done this, and I don’t really know where to begin, since this isn’t really the beginning – but more like the middle. So, I’m just going to get the basics out there and then later I will go fill in some of the blanks…
WHO: Well, that would be me. I’m a third year architecture student at Northeastern University.
WHAT: I’m using this site to write about my experiences with the co-op (cooperative studies program for those not in-the-loop with Northeastern’s program).
WHERE: I am lucky enough to be an intern at Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype, Inc (BH+A) in South Boston.
WHY: Hopefully students, and whoever else may be reading this, will be able to get a better sense of what a typical architecture co-op can be like.
WHEN: Technically you all are a bit behind on my life as a co-op-er. I started working at BH+A in July. Luckily for you, I’m only half way through – which gives me plenty of time to fill you in on the past few months and keep you updated on the present.
I’m going to have to apologize for the absolute lame factor of this first post. Now that I have all that info out of the way I promise the next few posts will be much more filling for your brain.
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