Internship evaluation
Roberta Ballico
Architect, Internship from October 2018 – March 2019
Describe your school and field of study:
When I applied for the internship, I was studying the Master in Architecture and Design at Aalborg University. Previously, I had completed my Bachelor studies at the IUAV University of Architecture in Venice.
Why did you apply for an internship at DOMUS?
My internship at DOMUS arkitekter started at the beginning of October 2018. I applied to this company because I really enjoyed my stay in Denmark during my experience as a student and therefore, when I had to choose where to have my academic internship, I decided to apply mostly in Copenhagen and in particular at DOMUS arkitekter. I came into contact with the company through the webpage where I could find some of the projects in which the company was involved and when I saw that the company had a strong focus in the social aspect of sustainability in every project I decided to send my application.
What kind of assignments and task have you worked with during your internship at DOMUS?
When I started my internship, during the first period, I was mainly testing my abilities and my competencies with the softwares and learning some new tools as well for the design of both 2D and 3D models. From the very beginning, I was involved in different projects. I have been also working with different professionals, and for different tasks. Because of my academic background and my personal skills, I have always been mainly involved in the design proces from the initial volume studies to the further sketching phases. Moreover, I had also to work on the presentation of different projects.
Describe the difference between studying and working as an intern at DOMUS?
The internship at DOMUS was one of my first experiences in my working career. After studying for 5 years, this internship helped me in understanding how much difference there is in what you learn at university and in the real professional environment. For sure, you learn a more practical approach towards the projects that you, at school, do not have the chance to experience.
What did you learn at DOMUS?
At DOMUS, I achieved a better understanding of what the real role of the architect is in the building industry. Often I was required to work in a team or in close contact with other professionals. In such a working experience, you get the chance to understand how different and numerous the tasks of the architect are. Before starting, I was aware more of my weaknesses than my strengths, and I was not sure of what my role would have been in the design process. However – when I started I realized that, at DOMUS new ideas are always welcomed and that also someone with no experience can always be useful and beneficial for the project.
Did the internship change your perspective on the building industry?
Before starting work, I had a different perspective of the building industry. I had the impression, that the theory learnt at school could always be applied in the practice. The internship made me understand how many parameters that play a role while carrying out a project, such as different interests, different professionals involved, economic considerations and time schedules. Working at DOMUS made me also more aware of the projects management, how it works and how it affects the quality of each project.
Did the internship expose you to unknown areas within the building industry or unexpected interests?
I had never been working with different professionals, and I found it really interesting to get in touch with different realities. When I was working at university I had never experienced this type of team work because usually, you are working with people with the same knowledge and competencies, but working in such a heterogeneous environment opened me to new fields of the building industry that I haven’t had the chance to experience before.
Which skills did you acquire during your internship at DOMUS?
During my internship at DOMUS, I became able to engage with a professional environment in relation to architectural design assignments, I have acquired new skills in solving architectural / engineering design related tasks and, in practice, I have also strengthened my skills of some softwares that I had already been using and I have learnt some new ones as well. Therefore, in conclusion I acquired a practical experience that will always be useful for my future career.