Hannah’s Internship Ends

My 5 weeks at Crawford Partnership have gone by in a flash; I am so grateful to the team for making me feel so welcome and for involving me in a large scope of projects, which has given me a varied and eye-opening experience. It has been a very memorable internship, and I will be putting all the things I have learnt into practice when I return to university for my final year of Part One.

It was really exciting to be involved in their current projects and produce work that would eventually be used for planning applications and presentations. Though I have done previous work experience at other practices, I have never been given an opportunity to produce work for real clients, so this was particularly exciting for me. I was soon introduced to three different projects during my time in the office, giving me an insight into the multi-tasking abilities needed as an architect! I learnt how to put together a Design & Access statement and in doing so was given an opportunity to improve my presentations skills, using a variety of software in the process. The document had to include all the relevant information to help sell the scheme, which will be used in my own university projects when I present and sell my schemes to my tutors. I also worked on the design of a project in its early stages, using tracing paper to draft several iterations of floor plans to determine the final layout. I then took these plans and created a 3D model in context to create views and furniture layouts which would help the client to visualise the design.

On the other projects I spent time thinking about the interior space and put together mood boards for clients. I particularly enjoyed looking through the various brochures and websites to find the appropriate furniture. During my 5 weeks, we had multiple CPD meetings and I loved looking at the different products on the market. I was amazed at the high attention to detail that goes into all the projects, right down to choosing the ironmongery used for door handles! Additionally, for another project I thought about the exterior space and helped to put together a fun and inviting landscape plan. Working on these projects has made me realise the importance of all these details which all work alongside the design of the building.

My experience at Crawford Partnership has been filled to the brim with a variety of projects and I leave with a much clearer understanding of the profession. Not only have I learnt lots but have had an exciting insight into life in an architectural practice. It has been a brilliant 5 weeks; thank you all so much!