Co-Op Term Experience
“My main responsibilities as a co-op student was working on drawings, mostly for projects in the design development and contract document stages. I drew up details or plans, built elevations, and picked up redlines from check sets. I modelled several existing buildings in Vectorworks (a new program learnt on the job) for projects involving renovations or demolitions. I prepared applications and other supplementary documents for projects being submitted for permit. I also did a little bit of design work, helping to develop unit plans and layouts for various projects.
The most valuable thing I got from my experience at SHA was an exposure to the business side of the practice; things like the permitting process, which is something we do not talk very much about in school. I probably learned the most just from listening in on the weekly meetings, where the whole office sits down and checks in on the status of every active project. Hearing the team strategize about how to deal with clients and the city and manage timelines and budgets was another experience I would not have gotten at a larger firm.
I would recommend SHA to other peers, especially if they are interested in multifamily housing and historic renovation projects.”
Bio
Emily is a masters student at the University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. Before pursuing a career in architecture, Emily worked for six years as a field geologist, siting, permitting, and constructing remote plate tectonic research stations across western North America and around the world.
Education & Credentials
Emily holds a bachelors degree in geology from Whitman College. She is in her final year of school to earn a Masters in Architecture, working on a thesis project focused on resiliency and post-disaster buildings in Vancouver. As a new member of the SHA team, Emily is eager to apply and expand on the skills and experience she has gained through her work in the geology industry and architectural education.