Blake Hurst – Architecture Internship

As I entered my senior year of high school, I knew that I would have some big decisions coming up… decisions that would impact my future. Knowing this, I decided to further my knowledge about the field of architecture. One of my biggest goals in life is to become a registered

architect. This is something I have known since around the time I was introduced to Legos. Furthering my knowledge about architecture in high school puts me in such a good position for my future in college. I will have already gained experience, that of which some architecture students don’t experience until their sophomore or junior year in college. In addition to this, architecture is probably the most challenging and time-consuming major, so for me, having this internship is no small accomplishment.

Each day at my Muhlenberg Greene Architects is different, there are never two of the same tasks, this keeps me occupied and focused. I am glad that each day is different, because redundant work is not for me, as I enjoy learning and experiencing new things. So far, I have taken a 1980s, hand-drawn floorplan of a building and replicated it in ArchiCAD, the BIM software used at our firm. This allowed me to render a 3D model of the building as we prepared to make corrections to a water infiltration error on the lower level. The next big project for me was on a residential property in Boyertown. After meeting with the clients and discovering their wish list for a new addition, I surveyed the house and took the measurements from the survey and put them in ArchiCAD. This allowed me to play with an array of designs for an addition, coming up with one that would hopefully please the clients wish list and more so their budget. I have also been constructing a model house in my art class which I am going to display in my portfolio. Here at MGA, I took my model and put the measurements into ArchiCAD, which then allowed me to layout a floor plan. I will be entering this into a few different art contests within the county and a few post-secondary schools. On top of the big projects I have completed, I have also had the chance to look over old blueprints from as early as the 1920s. I took time to scan these documents into digital copies which allows for them to be preserved forever. I also gain the experience of architects both young and old, who give me guidance as I am entering into the first stages of the game. So, in a nutshell, these are a few of the tasks I have completed so far throughout my time at MGA.

When it comes to things I don’t enjoy about the job, I don’t have much to say. There isn’t too much I don’t enjoy about the job-that’s why I’m going into it. If there were a few things though that I could change it would be the amount of education needed to become a registered architect. Some schools that I have been accepted to offer an Integrated Path to Architecture Licensure, which is a fast pace course to the head of the game. In as little as seven years, I could earn my masters and become a registered architect, having the ability to sign off on plans. Compared to other similar professional degrees, seven years is a LOT of time! Although it is the shorter route. If you go the traditional way, it can take close to ten years to earn a master’s degree and become registered. Either way you look at it, there is an abundance of schooling that needs to be completed in order to make your way to the big leagues. So, if there was one thing I would change about the profession, it would be the amount of education needed to become a licensed architect.

All in all, my time spent at Muhlenberg Greene Architects has been, so far, the best experience of my life. I am all about preparing for my future and opening myself to great opportunities, and here I am able to do that. I look forward to what the future brings for me here, as I get ready to begin another incredible semester with MGA.