Intern Life At RODE
Architecture internships are unique to any other. More than just a day filled with filing and monotonous jobs, Architecture internships allow students to get familiar with a firm and their specialization. Here at RODE, interns are truly members of the team and we partake in all aspects of the business, from design insight on projects, to celebrating its 10 Year Anniversary at the Dorchester Brewing Company.
A day at RODE is never dull, we’re an enthusiastic group of 18 employees working in a small, tight-knit setting in an open studio atmosphere with clients coming in and out all day. It’s great to be able to translate the open studio language that we are so familiar with, into the office setting. Working as an intern is a distinct experience aimed at broadening a particular skill set. There are specific goals set at the beginning of the internship and we are encouraged to work on specific elements of projects that peak our interests. Interns work on numerous types of projects in one single day – from residential unit layouts in the morning – to presentation renderings by night. Other specific jobs include feasibility studies, model building, hand drawing, massing building options, and more. It takes more than an average college student to be a part of RODE’s team, you have to have a positive attitude and step outside of your comfort zone, being ready and willing to work on anything asked, and eager to learn new skills to develop the knowledge required by the field.
Aside from growing your knowledge on a daily basis, being a member of RODE’s team comes with other perks. While working at RODE, interns partake in the social side of the firm, including Friday afternoon snack/drink hour to design charrettes in order to familiarize the team with new projects. The design charrettes show the collaborative nature of RODE’s work environment, and seeing a project grow from a simple massing study to a highly developed piece of architecture through ideas and concepts is directly relevant to us as students. The iterative process is a very real part of design, and to see it implemented in real world projects makes the job very rewarding. Other fun activities include t-shirt competitions, lunch outings, weekly “lunch and learn” presentations, and bagel Wednesdays. Joining the team also means social gatherings outside the normal 9-5. Interns at RODE are proud to be a part of this collaborative group of individuals who love where they work and what they do.
Personal Statement from Current Interns:
Paul Arduini - Wentworth Institute of Technology - Class of 2017
“Personally, one of my favorite exercises that I’ve been able to do on a daily basis at RODE is to visualize a project through digital ‘art.’ I enjoy bringing a project to life. In most cases, the public reacts best to conceptual renderings. I believe a story should be told through these images while creating an atmosphere that one would not take away from a line drawing.”
Danielle Roberts - Northeastern University - Class of 2017
“RODE has truly made me feel like part of the team. I have gotten to work on so many different projects, and seen them through almost every phase. It’s especially interesting to learn about the design process and how community reception and neighborhood characteristics influence design. It’s great to be able to work for a firm that cares about where they’re building, not just what they’re building.”
Amanda Dexter - Wentworth Institute of Technology - Class of 2017
“Intern life at RODE is an experience to remember. I thank RODE for teaching me the valuable skills necessary in order to be successful in the field of architecture. I wouldn’t have received this kind of knowledge and experience anywhere else.”
