We share our dedication to education with our interns, and enthusiastically involve them in all aspects of our studio. This summer, we welcomed Renata and Kyrene to the team, to take part in detailing, renderings, finishes, redlines, and site visits! As summer comes to a close, we caught up with these two talented students to reflect on their experiences – as well as what we gained from them.

RENATA LATOUR

Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Currently: Pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture degree with a minor in Sustainability at the University of Notre Dame; and pursuing NCARB certification

Renata joined our team for 12 weeks – before heading off to Rome in late August for a year to study abroad! Renata assisted our team with multiple projects in different phases, and was able to further fulfill her AXP (license experience) hour requirements. 

Her contributions to our homes were diverse: “One of my favorite projects was Photoshopping Revit-rendered elevations with different color palettes for a design meeting. I also got to work on Revit and AutoCAD markups. I drafted a skylight and modified a railing for a set of stairs, and even got a chance to roughly draft interiors. I coordinated with the interior architecture materials schedule and updated the plans to match their specified plumbing fixtures.”

By experiencing so many aspects of our team’s work, she found a new appreciation for interiors: “In my university projects, I tended to neglect sections and interior elevations in favor of facades. [But through my time with TBA,] I learned how room height and ceiling shapes are utilized to express hierarchy; and how seemingly minor details like cabinetry and paneling can completely redefine a room,” she shared.

KYRENE TAM

Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Currently: Pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture degree with a minor in Sustainability at the University of California, Berkeley

Kyrene’s most significant contribution during her summer with TBA was creating 3-D renders. “One of my favorite things I worked on was crafting renderings for a ‘California homestead’. I collaborated closely with Project Manager Jim to further refine and enhance the design, ultimately creating a collection of 13 renders using Lumion,” she explained. “This project was particularly special due to the careful guidance and feedback I received from Jim, Tim, and David. Their insights guided me in effectively communicating the design and also facilitated my personal growth as a designer.” Kyrene even shared her artistic – and technical – abilities by teaching a Lumion course to our staff. 

For Kyrene, the complexity and detail within our projects was her biggest takeaway. “I didn’t anticipate delving into the intricacies of technical terms related to windows, roofs, materials, and other various details – gaining an understanding of terms like mullion, jamb, eave, and fascia deepened my grasp of architectural detailing. Additionally, I was surprised by the immense level of depth in Construction Documents. Navigating through these documents gave me the ability to decipher TBA’s content and understand the intricacy involved in producing a home,” she said.

As Kyrene heads into her sophomore year at Berkeley, she reflects on her time with us: “This summer has undeniably strengthened my commitment to pursue architecture as a career. TBA broadened my perspective on the interplay of tradition and modernity within architectural design, propelling me toward a career path where I aspire not only to design sustainable buildings but also to foster a connection between the past and the future. I had the opportunity to acquire a diverse range of technical and soft skills that are vital for my architecture career; and I got to immerse myself in TBA’s process while fostering valuable connections and friendships within the team.” 

Kyrene and Renata brought passionate energy and enthusiasm to our office – not only were they eager to learn new skills, but were thoughtfully interested in understanding our processes, collaborators, and team. TBA is dedicated to developing future architects and designers, who, like Kyrene and Renata, also teach us! We are grateful for their talents – and the insights they shared with us.

Eager to meet the rest of our team? See them here.