Intern Life at RODE
Architecture is filled with curious exploration, diligent iteration, inspiration, care, and perseverance. RODE interns get to test these qualities in themselves, in a dynamic work environment, applied towards the making of real built spaces. They become an integral member of our studio, bringing fresh energy to our work, while learning new skills and building on their formal education.
RODE is a group of close to 20 enthusiastic and talented designers whose varied backgrounds contribute to a buzzy office culture. Positive collaborators, eager to step outside their comfort zone – and color outside the lines, so-to-speak – will thrive at RODE. We strive to maintain an office culture that encourages interaction and participation, with office-wide design charettes, team outings and site visits, lunch and learn presentations, and other social events.
The rich experience afforded by a RODE internship is a product of each individual’s passions. Interns and project managers set goals at the beginning of their term, with the experience tailored to the individual’s interests. On any given day they may work on a variety of tasks, and will touch upon a number of projects over the duration of their tenure here. Interns have built some of our finest physical models, created and organized winning proposals and successful presentations, helped push complicated drawing sets through to completion, and ensured the quality of our built work in the field. Our interns value the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the team, and love being a part of such a vibrant group of individuals.
Hear from two recent RODE Interns:
Coming into RODE as an intern I had very high expectations. I can say now that those expectations were exceeded over the past 7 months. I had the opportunity to work with every member of the RODE team in some capacity and learn what each of them brings to the table to create a successful final product. One of the most exciting aspects was being able to work on the proposal for a project early in my co-op, and spend time building the final model for that project in my last weeks as a RODE intern, being able to see a project all the way from concept to final design. Thanks to RODE I am comfortable with being messy and trying new things, with a better understanding of the iterative design process.
- Julianna Urban, Northeastern University
Working for RODE was a fantastic opportunity. What set them apart was their commitment to helping me reach my goals throughout the course of the internship. I was able to dive into a project team to design a facade system, go on site visits, and collaborate with clients, all while gaining valuable knowledge about all parts of the architecture business. You also can't beat the culture they have there - full of collaboration and excitement about what they are doing.
- Rachel Williams, University of Michigan
