those are definately big...never heard of Goettsch or DPZ.. whos your advisor... vasso?

i would say pick a firm that shares your interests.. even if its outside the co-op network. Isnt the point of the Masters co-op is that they are directed to your specific interests or chosen masters "path"?
If you like new urbanism, ouch, then go to a firm that does new urbanism. If style is not what you care about during a co-op and CD experience andmodel making are than maybe a one of those corporate firms are what you want.

Trust me while i thougt the co-op advisors were nice people they didnt necessarily have the interests of the students in mind. Most of the time they just want to fill the positions in those firms in the network so they keep them in the network.

i've got bruce...he seems to consider 4+ M Archers more or less undergrads

DPZ (Duaney Plater-Zyberk?) is a urban design firm, maninly designing through new urbanism...but that's just a consideration, not at all on the top of the pile

i don't necessarily want to begin limiting myself at this time, so i'd more or less like to go to a firm that designs good projects and is respected in the field. i think the experience will give me a better idea about something more specific for the next coop. i also am interested in the international opportunities these big firms give.

goettsch partners used to be Lohan Caprile Goettsch, but witing that was an accident--i don't want to work there

monkey-
you know any smaller, more creative firms that actually pay? you went through the whole thing--where did you coop your first time (an the others)?

5 - I worked at KPF. My experience there was a good one but I can't say that this is necessarily typical. Actually beatledud (Andy) went through this mid-november and his list was very similar to yours. I spent a lot of time hashing through his choices with him. You want to email me directly, or maybe you can call, so I can give you my experiences? I just don't feel like typing anymore :o/

Wonder why Bruce wants you guys to go after "big-name" firms for your first co-op? Interesting.

I think he thinks that future employers will think "Well if he could hang with SOM, he can definitely hang with us."

Who knows anything about Chan Krieger?

i think i know someone that worked at chan krieger.. not sure if he is one archinect though... let me ask if i can give you his email.

for my co-ops i went to

1st: Lorenz & Williams (Dayton 40-50 peeps) work wasnt that great, alot of redlines, but paid really well and gave me amazing bonuses. largest bonuses i have ever recieved ( even after graduation) . Looking back it wasnt great but it was my first so i was naive and probably shy to ask for what i wanted. Nice people

2nd: Ai Group (Atlanta 30-35 peeps) Work was OK. Great people and alot of responsibilty. I had a great time there and the employees and bosses were fun as hell.

3rd: Queszada Architects (San Fran 4-5 peeps) the firm did some nicer corporate work. got decent responisibility. If the firm still exists there were some decent people there.

4th: Michael McInturf Architects (Cincy 5-10 peeps) Learned the most at thos co-op and had a great time. People are great and i got exposed to some contempory thought provoking work. Ended up working there for 2 years after graduation.

i interviewed with McInturf for a full time position right after moving to cinci, but i got the impression he was looking mostly for coops. too bad, sounds like i missed out.

I would go to someplace like Tahiti.....If I had a choice!

SH.....I don't think you missed out, per se. Last time I checked, McInturf had laid off all but one employee because he couldn't get any business. They did some interesting work when they had it though.

I don't believe he has any business these days. Kid of surprised he ever had a full time staff...

What about multidisclplinaries...pentagram, ideo, etc?

Monkey--a girl across the way i just found out was at chan krieger. decent money, mostly urban design/planning, but the work really doesn't blow me away, especially the architecture.

i talked to another girl who was at SOM and spec'd an elevator system the whole time. the cool part was that it will be the largest ever built (160 stoy Burj Dubai)

i talked to another girl who was at SOM and spec'd an elevator system the whole time. the cool part was that it will be the largest ever built (160 stoy Burj Dubai)

I interned at KPF and like it a lot, although I think it has much to do with who you are working under. Charles Ippolito was great.

anyone know firms that do high design work that still pay? that's what i've got my fingers crossed on.

Yes, I think that's all what we'd like. Too bad they make up about .5% of the firms that exist.

5> If you are up, I'd call you right now, BTW. Sorry I couldn't talk until after the Daily Show, though :o)

I heard SHoP pays livable wages. OMA/AMO not so much.

If you’re in to New Urbanism it sounds like you might already be co-opted.

I’d say go more for the black-op type stuff.

Thanks, monkey, that's the info I'm looking for. ANyone else?

Studios,

They do mostly interior design work... so if you're into that....

nslm-very clever, but let's just forget new urbanism. it's just that one firm (DPZ)

given my portfolio:[second quarter portfolio in-progress spreads] , do you think I could go someplace like SHoP?

i need as many crits and comments as possible, since i'll be sending it out for coop jobs the first week of feb

no...

the last 2 projects look promising but undeveloped

>5: I think I emailed you a comment about your portfolio. Not to have too many words and to graphically explain your work. What about your resume? How much work experience do you have? Babysitting, lawn-mowing is BS to include. Email me with a copy and I will help you to inprove it.

Go ahead and try to work for those large corp. firms and get some office experience. Just keep your feet into reality. I worked at KPF in London and had a great time, plus I learned a great deal. If its your FIRST co-op, don't expect too much. Just get a job and get out there. You do not have to go back there. If the experience was not all that good, move on to the next one.

Okay.....I just realized that you have a link to your portfolio. I looked at it. I like it. Minor little things, but it is good enough. Don't worry too much about it other than how you will print it out and send it and how you want to discribe the projects/ideas during an interview. Now, what about your resume!!!!! I have mine set up at the first page. BTW, is there anytign else you ahve done outside of school? What abolut photography, drawing, or anything else for that matter?

I have decided to keep my cover and resume out of the crazy internet people world for obvious reasons. Good advice on thinking about what to say about the projects in an interview.

I always think it is a bit contrived to put 'photography' in for its own section if you aren't a photographer. If you're good at it, it should show in the pictures you take of buildings, models, etc. I don't really do creative work outside of school. That is taken up with reading.

As I was setting my first interviews, I interviewed and architect to find out what to include in a porfolio. I was looking for more a professional direction that I felt I was not getting from school. The big advice was to show that you have more than one talent. I ahve done some photography in the past and was able to show them in a few galleries. Which means something. I go so far as to include a few poems that I have written and were published. That right there is a daring more and has gotten comment both positive and negitive. Either way, it shows that I a creative and willing to take risks.
A key idea to remember when you talk about your portfolio is the tone in your voice and your enthusiasm torwards your project. I just hit the highlights, but when I notice they seem to have an interest in one I go more indepth. Unless you are interviewing in town, you will be mailing your portfolio and information and interviewing over the phone.

i built the first model for burj my last two weeks at skidmore

the university of texas has a similar program and i went to som in chicago for my residency (every school has to call it something different, i guess). they also pay a living wage -- although you'll work for it.

the good thing about som for your co-op is that you can move around. you wanna spec elevators? you can do that at som. you wanna spend a year in front of 3d studio? you can do that at som. you wanna do new urbanism? well...you can do that at som. i'd say try it out. the co-op program allows you an out -- if you hate som (and many people who have worked there do) you can go at the end of your term and never look back.

and word, if you can hang at skidmore you CAN hang anywhere.

first model of the burj? damn, that's a claim to fame.

big firms? HOK? Pei Cobb Freed? Foster?

urban design w/ new urbanists... check out maybe Urban Design Assoc. (UDA)... they did celebration in florida...

I did KPF as well, but in London. They are completely redoing the block their office is in. You'd get to work on a lot of exciting competitions, it's big but not too big, and hey - London is just a quick $45 flight from anywhere in Europe.

I worked at KPF in London too. I worked on the Master Plan and schematic design of THAT block. Is it still going to happen? I figured after 9/11 that was one of the projects that got shelved. The timeline for that one is peice meal. If KPFs office is moving, than the project is still happening. But I dought it. I was back there visiting in 2003 and everything looks the same.

co-ops: Treat your co-op job with an open mind. Learn as much as you can. Do not expect to be under the wing of whats-his-name architect. Decided later what you really want out your career. You have plenty of time.

What happens that matters will happen after school.

co-op for Terry Boling

When were you there? I was there in 2002 and they were working on it then, and they've got the design up on the website so I was guessing it's still on. Looks like the office building is getting quite a makeover too.

Derek,

do you still have your leather pants???

first of all mdler, that was awesome.

ok, 5, I worked at KPF (NYC) and chan krieger for co-op and know some people that are still at chan krieger.

KPF you can plan on doing one thing and doing it very very late into the night (sometimes all night) and doing it very well, more so because it is your first co-op AND that (drum roll please) is make models - computer or physical. some people LOVE it and I like to make a model here and there but not 18 hours a day all day every day. I worked on 3 or 4 different projects while there and did a handful of other things but, I essentially helped to fill a void on different teams. It was a good yet very tiring experience.

chan kriger does a great job with urban design and master planning and Alex Krieger is awesome and really knows just about everything one can know about this field. He also tends to pop in and out of the office and yell fuck it a whole lot which rocked. the arch done there is conservative and some it I liked some of it I really didn't but I can't say any of it was done poorly. it is a smaller more intimate office in a great location that gives as much responsibility as you can handle.

I would assume that SOM would be a similar office to KPF, fuck gensler no one has a good experience there......NO ONE! hahaha

Bottom line, in a bigger firm you get bigger projects and if you want more out of it you need 2 things......
1. more than 3 months
2. some experience that you can get away from just model making and learn

maybe takle SOM or KPF for your second co-op

Nathan,
I was at KPF Spring and Summer of 2001. My last week there Sept. 11 happened and shocked the whole office. I ahve a copy of the master plan and everything I did there.

Yes i still have the leather pants. I even wore them to work. btw, I work at OPX here in DC. Great office with great people.

WonderK...its outstanding how accurate your "last time I checked" isn't.

2 votes for TB.

oooh burn.
does that mean Mac has hired recently or gotten some work?

both/and. either/or.

KPF pays by the hour....

NYC office? When I was at their London office, it was salary.

Yeah, London was salary, and they get their money's worth from you.

no need to be a prick, glick

that ryhmed. i'm kidding anyways...cool your jets, we're all friends here.

LOUD NOISES!!!!

NYC KPH Hourly and they also get their money's worth.........

oops, KPF.......F near H on keyboard - kind of.....

do they still pay hourly when you get into 100 hour weeks?

BTW, the choices I submitted to bruce and vasso are:

Top three:
Fox Fowle (NYC)
KPF (NYC)
Ziger/Snead (Baltimore)

Second tier:
Tsao & McGown (NYC)
Gensler (SF)

Now to consider where I might apply on my own....