LINK Internship - Steve Gates Architect
What is the LINK Program?
The LINK program at Animas High School requires us juniors to apply for an internship with any line business we are interested. Once we find an internship, we must meet with our mentor, the main person helping you with your internship, and formulate a project we could do during the internship. We are required to spend three weeks (30-40 hours a week) at our internship and take notes as we learn new things and grow as a person and a student. This program ultimately helps us when it comes to working with people in the real world and reaching out to strangers in order to find an internship. It is a great transition from high school to career and college readiness.
Preparation and Anticipation
Ever since the beginning of junior year, I was a little worried about LINK. It seemed intimidating to go out into the “real” world and look for an internship with a legit business. As the year went on and Janae prepared us for LINK, I started considering possible internships that I could actually benefit from. I have always loved using photoshop and actually have a collection of art pieces from the past years I created. That's when I knew I wanted to choose something related to design. I looked into graphic design business such as Fast Signs but it didn't seem relevant enough for me. That's when I got the idea to choose the architectural design route. Not only do architects have to use their creativity, they also are extremely important in today’s society. Janae then helped me find the contact information of local architects. I first emailed Steve Eccher, but never got a response. Then Janae told me about Steve Gates. I jumped on my computer and looked at his website. Just by looking at his website and how organized the tabs were and how elegant the layout was, I knew Steve and his crew knew what they were doing. As I browsed the website I was amazed at the perfection of the structures he had designed and built. Also, I thought it was really impressive how Steve managed the design side and was in charge of the construction side as well. He basically has two jobs. I emailed him and told him about my interest in design and my experience with photoshop. We spoke back and forth over Gmail and set up an interview. The interview went great and Steve and I discussed my project plan involving the storage unit. It was a great opportunity to take responsibility and find an internship.
Ever since the beginning of junior year, I was a little worried about LINK. It seemed intimidating to go out into the “real” world and look for an internship with a legit business. As the year went on and Janae prepared us for LINK, I started considering possible internships that I could actually benefit from. I have always loved using photoshop and actually have a collection of art pieces from the past years I created. That's when I knew I wanted to choose something related to design. I looked into graphic design business such as Fast Signs but it didn't seem relevant enough for me. That's when I got the idea to choose the architectural design route. Not only do architects have to use their creativity, they also are extremely important in today’s society. Janae then helped me find the contact information of local architects. I first emailed Steve Eccher, but never got a response. Then Janae told me about Steve Gates. I jumped on my computer and looked at his website. Just by looking at his website and how organized the tabs were and how elegant the layout was, I knew Steve and his crew knew what they were doing. As I browsed the website I was amazed at the perfection of the structures he had designed and built. Also, I thought it was really impressive how Steve managed the design side and was in charge of the construction side as well. He basically has two jobs. I emailed him and told him about my interest in design and my experience with photoshop. We spoke back and forth over Gmail and set up an interview. The interview went great and Steve and I discussed my project plan involving the storage unit. It was a great opportunity to take responsibility and find an internship.
What did I choose for my internship?
For my internship, I wanted to do something that related to some kind of graphic or standard design but could also be incorporated to the real world. I didn't want to use my design ability for art, I wanted to use it for something relevant, so I though architectural design would be perfect. To be able to design something, then watch your creation be built from the ground up in the real world sounds like a beautiful thing. I started looking for local architects in Durango and when I found Steve Gate’s website, I knew I wanted to do it with him. IF you haven't seen his website yet, please go check it out. The style of the homes, commercial buildings, and schools that Steve, his design, and construction crew create are beautiful. They are very modern but have a simple and elegant look to them. I emailed him and within a couple weeks I got a response and couldn't have been more excited.
For my internship, I wanted to do something that related to some kind of graphic or standard design but could also be incorporated to the real world. I didn't want to use my design ability for art, I wanted to use it for something relevant, so I though architectural design would be perfect. To be able to design something, then watch your creation be built from the ground up in the real world sounds like a beautiful thing. I started looking for local architects in Durango and when I found Steve Gate’s website, I knew I wanted to do it with him. IF you haven't seen his website yet, please go check it out. The style of the homes, commercial buildings, and schools that Steve, his design, and construction crew create are beautiful. They are very modern but have a simple and elegant look to them. I emailed him and within a couple weeks I got a response and couldn't have been more excited.
Practice SketchUp Models
What is SketchUp Pro?
SketchUp Pro is a very popular 3D modeling program. The entire design crew here at Steve Gates architect all use SketchUp Pro for architectural design, interior design, and different landscapes for building projects. I didn't have much experience with SketchUp when I first arrived at the office. The only experience I had with it was during a mini project in Physics freshman year, when we were asked to design water filters (you can view that in my 9th grade page). The two girls in Steve’s design team (Allison and Natalie) were very helpful and taught me how to use the basics of the program within an hour. The amount of dedication and hard work put into the projects by Allison and Natalie is truly amazing. I was impressed by the both of them throughout my internship. The gallery shown below are the very first models I made during my internship. I wanted to experiment with created buildings and creating an interior to a room that I made. These designs are actually very basic and a regular SketchUp user would not approve. I can now say that I am very comfortable with SketchUp now and have the confidence to create anything I want. That's how much I have grown. I even purchased the program myself and downloaded it on my computer.
P.S. I did not make the Lamborghini. I uploaded it from something called the 3D warehouse. The 3D warehouse allows you to upload other people's creations into your own project. Architects use the warehouse when they need furniture or basic objects for interior design.
Storage Unit Project
What is the storage unit project?
When I first met Steve, during the interview that got me my internship, he brought me to their storage unit, which is right behind their office in an alleyway. He opened up the door and showed me the inside and it was disastrous. There were tile samples, stone samples, carpet samples, wood samples, carpet books, and basically anything you can think of piled everywhere around the storage unit. It was quite the mess. The main idea for this project was for me to organize all of the samples and clean out all of the unnecessary supplies, then design some kind of shelving that would help eliminate the mess. Steve wants his storage unit to also be a viewing area for samples when potential clients come by and he can't do that when it looks like a grenade went off in his storage unit.
When I first met Steve, during the interview that got me my internship, he brought me to their storage unit, which is right behind their office in an alleyway. He opened up the door and showed me the inside and it was disastrous. There were tile samples, stone samples, carpet samples, wood samples, carpet books, and basically anything you can think of piled everywhere around the storage unit. It was quite the mess. The main idea for this project was for me to organize all of the samples and clean out all of the unnecessary supplies, then design some kind of shelving that would help eliminate the mess. Steve wants his storage unit to also be a viewing area for samples when potential clients come by and he can't do that when it looks like a grenade went off in his storage unit.
Before clean up (gallery below)
After Clean Up (Gallery Below)
After I cleaned out most of the unneeded trash and organized the samples the best I could, I found the dimensions of the storage unit and created a sketch map so I could start designing. It was the first official sketch map that I have ever made.
Hand drawn sketch map of storage unit (above)
My initial idea for the new shelving was to disassemble any kind of existing shelving in the storage unit and completely replace it with something new and something that I designed. I decided to create something that has cabinets, cubby holes, shelves, and dowels dividers. I then jumped onto SketchUp and created exactly what I envisioned. You can see that in the galleries below.
First draft - 3D model of storage unit in SketchUp along with new shelving plans (gallery above)
After talking with Steve about my first idea, we came to the conclusion that the cheapest and most efficient option would to be to just add on to the existing shelves rather than tearing them down completely. So I went to the storage unit and got the dimensions of the shelves and recreated it in SketchUp. I then took out certain panels and created my own with 4 drawers in them. I then added it to the existing shelves in SketchUp and began adding dowels to the second second of shelves. We decided that the dowels purpose would be to store tile samples in a way that makes them very easy to access. Rather them stacking them on top of each other, the dowels would keep them on their side so you could easily slide any sample you want and put it back in when your done. The drawers would be for carpet samples, possibly wood samples, or any other kind of storage. I then decided to leave the top shelves and use those for carpet books. You can see the finished design and sketches in the gallery below.
Final Draft - 3D model of storage unit in SketchUp along with shelving plans and drawers (gallery above)
When the third week started, I finished designing the shelves and had plans to make drawers but Steve and I talked about it and it seemed as if we didn't have enough time to create both the dowel shelves and drawers. So I decided to only focus on the dowel shelves. I went to Home Depot and purchased two peg boards quite a bit of dowels. Steve helped me line up the holes in the peg board, put every dowel in and organized the tile samples from light to dark. The finished product can be seen in the gallery below.
Finished dowel tile shelf (gallery above)
192 Wood Rose Lane - Construction Site & Concrete Pour
192 Wood Rose Lane - Finished 3D Rendering (above)
Allison, Natalie (Steve's design team) and I "posing" for a pictures at the Wood Rose Lane Construction site (gallery above)
Shown in the picture above and the pictures below, you can see the start of the foundation for 192 Wood Rose Lane. In the pictures, the foundation is at a very basic state. The plan is to fill the footing with concrete.
As you can see in the picture above, the concrete pump truck is huge. The truck has to be stabilized so it won't tip from the weight of the pump moving around. The pump is directed to the footing and the worker's guide it as it pours concrete from the concrete truck attached in the back. It costs $300 an hour to use the pump truck.
Reflection
The second I walked into Steve’s office for my interview, I knew that I wanted to do my internship there. There are pictures of residential and commercial buildings he and his team have built throughout the years and it is absolutely amazing. The style he uses is very modern but looks so good. Also, there are floor plans next to the pictures showing how the house was designed. That is what caught my eye in the beginning and it still does. The first week was a bit challenging at first because I had little to no experience with the programs they had me use and I didn't know the staff too well so I was hesitant when it came to asking questions. This soon changed within the first 3 days. I picked up on SketchUp pretty quickly but Allison and Natalie were constantly critiquing my abilities and in the end, I improved so much. I am very efficent and learned how to keep track of each entity I made. Without them, it would've taken months for me to get to the spot I am at now. Online tutorials couldn't do what they can do. As week one came to an end, I was ready to start designing the new shelving. I was a bit nervous because I had absolutely no idea what I was going to make. I looked online for some ideas but then Allison came up to me and showed me this picture of a shelf with dowel dividers. That is how I got the idea to create the dowel shelf. After that it all started coming to me. I added drawers, two cubby holes, and shelves above the dowels for carpet books. As you know, that all changed after a couple of discussions with Steve but it worked for the best. I got too ahead of myself and didn't really think about a budget or a time restraint. So it was good to get critique about those kinds of things from an architect because in the real world of architecture, money and time are crucial. Natalie and I went to Home Depot and purchased peg boards and dowels so I could start creating the dividers. I started making everything the day after we bought the supplies and they gave me the freedom to work on my own in the storage unit. I used a saw to cut the dowels then fitted them into the peg board, and just to be safe, I super glued them in. It was quite the process in the beginning because the dowels would fall out or they wouldn't fit properly. I can safely say that I replaced 90% of the initial dowels with new ones because they were not big enough or they broke. Another problem I had with the dowels was the width. At first I didn't think they would be able to hold the tile because they were so flimsy but after a couple hours of stabilizing them, they successfully held most of the tile samples that were in the storage unit. I wish I could have been able to build some drawers but it was still a great opportunity to design and build something. I like how I can use my artistic and creative ability to create something relevant and useful rather than just creating art. That's the beauty of architecture. Another great opportunity I had over the course of my internship was when Steve took me up to the 192 Wood Rose Lane site. I only saw the renderings but I never saw the actual site. It was cool to see the plans and then see what it looked like in its current state. It really goes to show how much architects have to plan and design before they actually start construction. When I first arrived, it was only to observe the site and watch the concrete pour. But then Steve sent me up there a second time to help out with construction and mentioned something about a jumping jack. At first I had no idea what it was but then I arrived and soon found out what a jumping jack was. I saw it and was pretty intimidated because it really is a big machine but when I fired it up and started using it, it wasn't hard at all. It was actually kind of fun. It felt like I was holding a huge mini gun and was shooting the ground over and over. I felt pretty cool. Also, the jumping jack is very useful and effective. If you have ever seen one in action, you know how well it tampers loose dirt. It is unreal. So as I was saying, I used the jumping jack for a couple hours, then set up some long tubes meant to flow water under the house and poured gravel on top of it to keep it place. After that, we buried the tube and gravel and continued to pack the dirt down with the jumping jack. It may sound we didn't have much work to do, but it took all day and when I left, the workers continued to finish up the garage’s foundation. I was worried I would be stuck at a desk the whole time but it was nice to get out there and experience architecture from the construction standpoint. Overall, this is definitely one of the best opportunities I have ever had and it showed me how much I didn't know about the world of architecture and how much time and money goes towards everyday projects. The staff here were very helpful and even went into great depth on what it takes to become and architect and what schooling looks like. After this internship, my passion to pursue architecture as a potential career has grown even more. I look at Steve and his team and see what they do day to day and what their projects look like, and I think to myself, I want to do that. I can't wait to see where this path takes me and how I will use it to shape my future.