#PCX-FA23

[bac-connex]

Thank you ICON Architecture!

Thank you ICON Architecture for the amazing externship experience and your commitment to welcoming and mentoring BAC students like myself as we start our careers in the architecture industry! Everything I learned during the brief one week experience at your firm was incredibly insightful and helpful for my portfolio, resume, and career development. There are a lot of skills and areas I’ve realized I’m not proficient at and I will spend my remaining time at the BAC to gain proficiency and expertise in the industry standard programs (Revit, SketchUp, Enscape, Lumion) that matter most to any architecture firm.

[bac-connex]

A discerning and valued client!

This apartment building is in Somerville designed by the Live studio practice at ICON. There are very specific site constraints that need to be met in order for the client and the community to approve of its construction. There were many considerations taken into account, from the number of unit types, the massing and scale allowed by zoning, ground floor retail requirements, and the grading of the terrain. The client is discerning and wanted the facade of the building to be attractive despite the limitations of the budget. ICON Architecture prepared several different iterations of what the facade materials could look like when used in different ways.

This is a renovation project located in Quincy designed by the Interiors studio practice at ICON. The client wanted to update the existing amenity spaces to create a more attractive and modern interior for residents to use. Mood boards and material palettes were curated to create a cohesive theme to tie together the various spaces that will be renovated. The client had a certain vision that needed to be reconciled with the limitations of their budget and space constraints.

[bac-connex]

ICON Beach House Design

[bac-connex]

Thank You Nbbj

To being able to experience and be part of an office culture, for a week. It has been an amazing week in my career to self-discovery.

Thank you all for the amazing week and all the activities you guys planned for us.

[bac-connex]

Final Day

Wow

What an amazing week we had, from shadowing meetings, and exploring a little from every team at nbbj, to site visits portfolio reviews and walking around following engineers do their thing. I really wasn't expecting to get so much exposure from different fronts in so little time. I am deeply thankful for everyone at nbbj, specially Anna.

Also i want to thank my buddy ~ I haven't meet many people so devoted to their own personal growth, being constant and able to step out of your comfort zone to gain experience and a new vision of things is so scary at times and my buddy just did it for a whole week.

Perspective it's really all you need in life, isn't it.

Thanks for all the other group members that presented their experiences on their firms. You all rock ~

Thanks George for the photos :D

( also sorry for the delay, it was brought to my attention i posted this on my personal instead of the BAC acc)

[bac-connex]

Mentors are...

inspiration / hope / transformation

Sometimes during our path of students we give for granted a lot of the opportunities where we are allowed to stop, take a breather, analyze the problem and construct something new. This week showed me how good mentorship and teamwork allows you to do this even under stress and work scenarios.

We had a couple of site visits and portfolio review today, and honestly every experience after the other kept changing my POV over the architectural field. So many approaches and visions colliding and forging one project its really inspiring.

[bac-connex]

Day 5: Supportive always-together Buddies

This year I’m committed to seeking out more mentors that will guide me on my path to becoming an architect and project manager.

Exploring outside of my immediate field in architecture really open my mind into different fields I could go with my degree in architecture. I hope that this year I can find opportunities that will help me brach out and learn different things. Also this year and in the future I want to speak out about what I want in the future, like project management. I think this will help me find the right mentors that are willing to show me the ropes, and hopefully they will see my enthusiasm from the beginning.

[bac-connex]

Day 4: An Energetic Mentor

The most important quality and skill that a mentor should have is being able to listen to the mentee with any problems or any hopes that they may have and be able to have the time to be able to guide them towards the path that they want to take. In turn a mentee, should be able to listen to the mentor and be able to accept constructive criticism. Also be able to tell your mentor the path that you see for yourself.

At DCAMM we learn that the way that the departments are set up you always have some to report back to. That person is your point of contact and they have way that they communicate. For example, they have biweekly meetings where theres talk about the projects but also about career development and how they can be on a way they can land that role that they hope for in the future.

Brenna was our point of contact in DCAMM and she was always in every step. She listen to our needs, answered any questions we had and also asks us for any feedback that we may have for future externships. We really appreciated her in this journey.

[bac-connex]

Thank you DCAMM!

It is hard to narrow down my favorite part about this externship. After just one week I have learned so much about DCAMM and the people who work there. I was inspired each day by the passion, work ethic and overall camaraderie of DCAMM as a whole. This externship is an opportunity I didn’t know I needed and I am extremely grateful to have had this opportunity!

[bac-connex]

Passionate Buddies!

This semester I would like to focus on being a good mentor for students at the BAC but also in life. As the TA for Open Studio I work with Foundation students who are just starting out at the BAC and some are just starting out their journey in the design world. In my position I feel it is of upmost importance that I set a good example while also being available to them to answer any questions they may have about the BAC or life in general. Everyone comes from different backgrounds and I think it is extremely important for people, who are able, to come forward and be there for other students to help guide them through life.

[bac-connex]

Thank you DCAMM!

[bac-connex]

Thank You AECOM!

Being at AECOM has been an incredible experience. It's been a great opportunity to learn from some of the best professionals in the industry and get hands-on experience. I've been able to view a variety of projects and have had the chance to collaborate with some amazing people on my own proposed project. The company culture is also very inclusive and supportive, which has made my time here even more enjoyable.

[bac-connex]

Thank you DCAMM!

I am unable to express the excitement I have felt this past week. It has been the most fulfilling and inspiring week I have ever experienced. I am grateful to DCAMM, especially Brenna, for arranging our schedule. This allowed us to engage with different departments each day and understand how they collaborate behind the scenes to ensure the project's success. This externship has made me realize the possibilities in the field of architecture, and how it can help me achieve interdisciplinary practices such as planning or project management.

What particularly inspired me was witnessing the passion that the people at DCAMM have for their work, and how they continuously strive and contemplate ways to serve the Commonwealth and the community. During the visit to the Shattuck Hospital construction site and the interactions with the Energy and Environmental Services departments, I recognized how genuinely they care about the users. I really appreciate how they incorporate their concern for the community and the environment into their designs.

[bac-connex]

A helpful buddy!

As a student in his final year at the BAC, I recognize how important mentorship and sponsorship can be after my externship experience at ICON Architecture. If there are any volunteer opportunities at the BAC to help mentor and guide new students through their CityLab and orientation process, I believe it is important for me to contribute in some way by participating!

[bac-connex]

A "Self-motivating" Buddy

The Mentorship & Sponsorship action that I want to commit to this year is try to cultivate the qualities of a good mentee.

As an aspiring architect and designer, I recognize the immense value that self-awareness and reflection bring to the table in fostering a productive mentor-mentee relationship. Embracing feedback with an open mind is pivotal, as it paves the way for my growth by helping me understand my strengths and areas for improvement. I have been training my skills in self-awareness and reflection intentionally, but I'm eager to take it to the next level. I believe that transitioning from this type of critical thinking to actively asking questions will propel my development even further.

By posing thoughtful inquiries and absorbing my future mentor's advice, I can gain a deeper understanding of the intricacies within the realm of architecture and design. These qualities are not just steps in a process; they are my compass guiding me toward becoming a more proficient architect and a design-thinker of exceptional caliber.

[bac-connex]

A experienced and dedicated mentor!

A mentor must have the experience, dedication, and commitment to pass on their learned knowledge to their mentees in order to help advance the firm’s broader goals and to foster workforce development in the industry. A mentor needs to be patient and understanding to have the right temperament to teach the mentee effectively. This kind of mentorship wouldn’t be possible if the firm’s leadership didn’t practice sponsorship to create the supportive environment the mentor needs in this endeavor to foster talent and develop new skills in their junior staff and mentees.