“I am grateful to have been part of such an invested team.”
Architectural Intern AJ Alessandrini recently completed edmSTUDIO’s new program, “explore 4.”
Designed for young architects entering the field, explore 4 provides a structured learning experience in a professional setting. It covers a range of topics within the architectural profession that interns and less experienced employees don’t typically get to work on until much later in their careers. The program is divided into four learning blocks: Management, Design, Documentation, and Construction.
- Beginning with Management, AJ learned how a project gets started. She participated in a feasibility study, assembled a project team, and produced a proposal, among other tasks.
- During Design, she explored programming, millwork detailing, furniture and material selection, and sustainability principles.
- Under Documentation, AJ learned how to communicate the design intent through documentation–ranging from field work documentation to producing Construction Document sets, checking for accuracy and clarity, and assisting with internal QA/QC reviews.
- Finally, the Construction block covered the architect’s role during the construction phase. This involved visits to active sites, attending meetings with Construction Managers, and a lot of code review!
“What made explore 4 so great was how my education was prioritized. It can be overwhelming entering a job for the first time and realizing how much you still have to learn,” says AJ. “In school, we only really nurture our Design Development skills in Studio class. But, actually completing a project involves so much more! This summer was extremely educational, and I had a lot of fun!”
