They Didn’t Teach Us That in School

Topics: Architecture, Design

Bench by a lake

A newly discovered lunch break spot just a short walk from the office.

“They certainly didn’t teach us that in school!” I’ve often thought to myself during the first few weeks of my new job at Coates Design.

I recently graduated from the University of Oregon with a Masters of Architecture and all of a sudden I’m commuting to my first long-term position in an architecture firm. It’s amazing how different the profession is compared to academia; parti’s, desk crits, and all-nighters have shifted to client briefs, code reviews, and (probably for the better) eight-hour work days.

Not to say my past six years of school were for nothing. They laid my foundation of design thinking and problem solving, but each week that passes, I realize I have a long way to go and plenty more to build on my foundation.

I enjoy working at a small firm like Coates Design because I’m gaining experience in many phases of the design process. One hour I could be working on a pre-design feasibility study and the next hour I could be visiting a job site. I look forward to my time at Coates Design and continuing my journey as an architect.

A guest post from our newest hire at Coates Design