We were excited to catch up with more than 20 of these interns to speak with them about their experiences, their creative passions and what they envision for their future.
What made you choose your career path? Where did your passion come from?
“I have always loved making, building and solving problems. I was influenced by the pre-college architecture program at Carnegie Mellon University, and then again after college working at CH2M Hill. I have had a very unique career path though, since I spent a while working as an industrial designer and then as the CEO/Founder of my own retail start-up for many years. All of the experiences have led me to pursue my degree in architecture, partly because I love design but partly because there are so many elements to work on and so many different kinds of challenges and problems to solve.” – Sophia Ogiso (Pittsburgh, Architecture)
“I chose interior design when I learned the effects our built environment hav on the way we do our work, learn, receive care, travel and experience entertainment. My passion stems from seeing people in my own life struggle with mental and physical illnesses that require well-designed environments that cater to those needs.” – Karina Quintero (Dallas, Interiors)
“The passion for architecture grew when I accompanied my dad—who works in real estate—on site visits and client showings. I can trace the exact moment to when I had fully witnessed a project being built—right from the design ideation stage to its completion. That compelled me to choose this field.” – Raunak Mohapatra (Mumbai, Architecture)
“An old professor used to tell us every day that there is no such thing as a perfect facilities services system—and I like the challenge of proving that wrong.” – Joe Tilley (Buffalo, Assessor Support)
“Being in the design industry, it excites me every day that I can practice creativity and innovation at the same time. As I am also involved with sustainability, it motivates me that my work contributes to the efforts of creating a better and healthier environment.” – Sherry Aine Te (New York City, Sustainability)
“I think architecture gives me a unique opportunity to help people while also expressing myself. I can incorporate many different bits of knowledge into the process as well, which makes everything I learn feel important. Architectural design also allows for critical problem solving and constant experimentation which I really appreciate. Through my study of the field, I feel connected to a tradition that speaks to every human and a history thousands of years old.” – Sean Brunstein (Buffalo, Architecture)
How has your understanding of the design profession evolved from this experience at CannonDesign?
“I have a much better grasp of engineering from my experiences here this summer. My ability to answer the question of “what do engineers even do?” is a direct result.” – Carissa Jones (Chicago, Electrical Engineering)
“I learned how to manage a team and carry its deliverables and give multiple design options to the client for better discussions and outcomes.” – Vaishnavi Drusya Kakarlapudi (Washington DC, Architecture)
“CannonDesign has shown me what is happening at the forefront of the industry right now. Not just in one way either. They’ve taught me a lot about the business side of architecture, sustainability, BIM and more!” – Sean Brunstein (Buffalo, Architecture)
“Every type of building/design has its own design principles and standards. Architects have to learn and master each field of buildings to deal with multiple projects.” – Haoxuan Yan (Chicago, Architecture)
“I’ve been happy to explore an architecture firm that believes we can contribute to change the world—while also respecting its employees’ balanced lives. I want to keep the ethos in the future, and introduce it to my home country, Korea, too.” – Heekin Park (Boston, Architecture)
“The projects that I have been on have really helped me understand workflow and design requirements. The way we look at a space from the client perspective has helped me truly evolve.” – Kanya Raj Sathish (Chicago, Architecture)
In what ways do you see the field you’re studying changing in the next 10 years?
“The impact of electrical and power systems are discussed at length in conversations about sustainability and that will impact the way we use them and where they draw power from within the next ten years greatly.” – Carissa Jones (Chicago, Electrical)
“Artificial Intelligence taking over much of the process.” – Gursheen Anand (Mumbai, Architecture)
“Architecture should not be confined to a building, it should be considered with urban/social and global environment.” – Heejin Park (Boston, Architecture)
“Probably in every way. The working environments and patterns have changed through Covid and will continue to change. The horizon is widening with respect to architecture’s interdisciplinary nature. Hopefully we’ll see more women leading and the not-so-great current number of women in design and construction will improve.” – Poorva Mali (Chicago, Architecture)
“The population and economic standards are always changing. With that comes the idea of wanting/needing shelter from day to day. I believe the standard setup for housing will be completely different and the design/definition of exteriors will be different.” – Milton Henderson (Boston, Architecture)
“The sector of facilities management (FM) is developing rapidly. In this industry, there is only one way to go—above and beyond. The seamless integration of FM and sustainability, in my opinion, is the most notable change or advancement in the near future. FM would not have the option of selecting whether to take the steps toward sustainability or not because the two must coexist.” – Pratyusha Jampana (New York City, Assessor Support)
What inspires you to wake up each day and work in the design profession?
“Creating great spaces for people to experience in their day-to-day.” – Holly Buehlmann (Boston, Lighting)
“The wish to see the project you are working on built one day.” – Haoxuan Yan (Chicago, Architecture)
“I learn something new every day about the way people interact with their surroundings and immediate environment and that always keeps me on my toes on how I can improve that.” – Kanya Raj Sathish (Chicago, Architecture)