architect nick lesniewski senior internship spring semester 2015

ARCHITECT

Nick LesniewskiSenior InternshipSpring Semester2015

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROFESSION

Build sustainable buildings to code

Explain how to build a building and describe the functionality of each aspect of its construction.

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS I SAW MY MENTOR INVOLVED IN

Meetings with coworkers to discuss designs.

Project manager of PW renovations

- Oversees schedule, changes/ alternates, informs gc/ mep/ other engineers and contractors what goes where

ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTSMY MENTOR ALLOWED ME TO PARTICIPATE IN

AS A HIGH SCHOOL INTERN Renovation of:

-Reaction biology laboratory, whitpain ambulance station, colonial middle school library, Plymouth elementary library, Plymouth Whitemarsh highschool, Souderton elementary, and more

-Printing and plotting documents

-Organization of office materials and supplies

THIS PROFESSION MATCHED MY EXPECTATIONS IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS…

Diversity in projects and tasks

Communication with friendly people

Applying the design concept to the realities of the real world

THIS PROFESSION WAS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS…

none

THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH I WORKED…

Everyone works at their own pace with no pressure

About 20 employees

A “typical” day includes…

Arriving at the firm in Ambler, checking email, helping coworkers, executing cadd drawings etc

For a future intern here: don’t expect to be the Rembrandt of autocadd, most initial drawings are simple.

THE PEOPLE I WORKED WITH…

Are nothing but nice, extremely intellectual, wholesome people

Clients were always respectful and nice

On several occasions working with employees of the colonial school district, who all treated me with respect.

MY ADVICE FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN THIS FIELD/PROFESSION…

You must be able to quickly think and innovate on your feet and be prepared to have solutions in your back pocket at all time.

An experience which would be exciting for a student like myself would be to visit a construction sight.

I CHOSE TO INTERN IN THIS PROFESSIONAL AREA BECAUSE… To learn about the construction industry (primarily architecture) and to explore the myriad of avenues for work.

I am an out of the box thinker with an edge for design which ultimately puts me in a position to build something.

DURING SENIOR INTERNSHIP I LEARNED…

The importance of networking yourself, and the importance to always try to do new and different things.

There is a heavy managerial side to dealing with architecture.

This experience was ideal for me because it is exactly where I see myself while I work in college, and what I want to do for a career.

MY INTERNSHIP

GKO Architects

12 Butler Pike, Ambler PA

Gkoarchitects.com

Joseph Messmer

LEED Certified architect and Project manager