Archinect
Laura Schmitz

Laura Schmitz

Denver, CO, US

 

About 

Elsewhere:

Employment 

Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, Colorado Springs, CO, US, Drafter

Nov 2015 - current
 

Stone Cloud Design Build, Denver, CO, US, Architectural Designer

Lead Designer for small residential boutique firm. Work closely with clients through Design Development, coordinate with engineers, have produced 4 full Construction Document sets in Revit for permit and construction.

Feb 2015 - Nov 2015
 

MIT Office of Campus Planning, Cambridge, MA, US, Design Intern

Assisted in space planning, infrastructure planning, collaborated on Bicycle Friendly University Application

May 2014 - Aug 2014
 

MIT Center for Advanced Urbanism (CAU), Cambridge, MA, US, Research Assistant

Research Assistant for Professor Brent Ryan
Generated maps, diagrams and imagery for forthcoming publication on urban design theory

Feb 2014 - Aug 2014
 

Earthship Biotecture, Taos, NM, US, Architectural Intern

Contributed to construction of earthships: off-the-grid sustainable houses. Experience gained in adobe and rammed earth construction, passive solar heating systems, greenhouse technology, rainwater collection and grey and black-water systems.

Jan 2014 - Jan 2014
 

CannonDesign, Buffalo, NY, US, Architectural Intern

Worked on several projects in the Buffalo and Niagara Falls area. Created Revit models of existing buildings for renovation, produced concept diagrams for presentations, worked individually and as a team building three presentation-quality site models using both analog shop tools and laser cutting.

May 2013 - Aug 2013
 

Boston Architectural College (BAC), Boston, MA, US, Teaching Assistant

Teaching Assistant for Summer Academy Design Studio
Taught design studio for high school students. Led 9 students through range of design skills, concepts, scales

Jul 2012 - Jul 2012
 

Ants of the Prairie, Buffalo, NY, US, Architectural Design Assistant

Contributed to design and fabrication of Bat House installed at Griffis Sculpture Park.
http://www.antsoftheprairie.com/?page_id=203
Submitted proposal for WPA 2.0 Working Public Architecture Competition with two other students.

Collaborated with Professor Joyce Hwang and four other students in construction and installation of two week design project for FIGMENT 2008 City of Dreams festival. Gained experience in shop, construction assembly according to drawings

May 2008 - Aug 2009
 

Education 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, US, MArch, Architecture

Masters of Architecture completed with a concentration in Urban Studies.

Thesis: The Reconsidered River: Strategies for Connections in Post-Industrial Buffalo (2015)
Future Politics of The City Presenter: Bicycle Urbanism Symposium, U of Washington, Seattle (2013)
Workshop: Bogota, Colombia urban design collaboration with three Colombian universities (2013)
Architecture Student Council Wellness Chair (2014)
ARCH_KIOSK Contributing writer to MIT Student Architecture blog (2014)

Aug 2011 - Feb 2015
 

University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, US, Bachelors, Architecture

Summa Cum Laude, University Honors Scholar 2007-2011 GPA: 3.79/4.0
Department of Architecture’s Dean’s List, five semesters
Study Abroad, Barcelona, Spain: John Gallatin Study Abroad Honors Scholarship (Summer 2010)
Student Editorial Board, Intersight: Selected to design and edit UB Architecture Publication (2011)

Aug 2007 - Feb 2015
 

Awards 

Schlossman Research Fellowship, Scholarship

$2335 towards research for summer prior to thesis semester
(I declined the fellowship to take a summer internship)

2014
 

Avalon Travel Grant, Grant

$600 Travel Grant to cover some expenses for travel to Bicycle Urbanism Conference in Seattle where I presented a paper.

2013
 

MIT Department Merit Award, Scholarship

half tuition scholarship (2011-2015)

2011
 

John Gallatin Study Abroad Honors Scholarship, Scholarship

Scholarship for Summer Study Abroad in Barcelona, Spain

2010
 

Academic Excellence Award, Award

for highest GPA of sophomore architecture class at University at Buffalo

2009
 

Academic Excellence Award, Award

for highest GPA of freshmen architecture class at University at Buffalo

2008
 

Advanced Placement Studio Art Exhibition, Award

1 of 30 pieces selected from 29,288 portfolios (2007)
On display at AP Conference and toured 3 cities

2007
 

Hyatt Award, Award

University at Buffalo, recognizes outstanding design in freshman studio

2007
 

Allentown Arts Society Scholarship, Scholarship

portfolio-based award, $2000 for architecture supplies over two years (2007-2009)

2007
 

Skills