Turning challenges into opportunites
When I first was introduced with my host organization, Meyer, Scherer Rockcastle (MSR Design) and supervisor Garth Rockcastle, my first thought was that this will be an opportunity of a lifetime. MSR Design is a well-known architecture firm in Minnesota with a variety of projects in sustainable design and adaptive reuse. Garth Rockcastle is a well-known professor at the University of Minnesota College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture and has served as Dean of the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Maryland. In 1981, he co-founded MSR Design in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was elected into the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 1998 for his contributions to education and professional practice.
I was very excited and curious about the new experience, despite the fact that I was going to be in one of the coldest states in US and that I was departing during the last days of October. My flight had a layover in Chicago, and after traveling for a long time I finally stepped on US soil. The first person I met was an airport attendant who asked me where I was going. “Minneapolis, Minnesota.” I said. “Oh!” he replied. “You have no idea how cold and awful the winter in Minnesota is. It is sometimes colder than Alaska!” “Remember,” he continued, “wear layers!” Surprised I thought, ‘I will chance it.’
After my first three months in the Minnesota’s ‘awful’ winter I have started to like it. The first impression with the city was surprising. Where are the people here? Are these houses abandoned? Where is the sun? My Mediterranean life was so much different from Minneapolis living. I noticed that the only way to visit this city was to run it. Why walk the city, when you can run it, at least it won’t be so cold! So, I continued my running routine and challenged even the -20˚C. I learned to appreciate each sunny day. I have known few people in this cold weather, but they have all been warm-hearted.
On my first day at work I was introduced to Garth Rockcastle. I very quickly realized that he is the most amazing person I have ever had the chance to know. I feel very lucky and privileged to work with him. He inspires me every day with his advanced creative thinking. Through working with him, I have had quite a dynamic experience. I have explored two working spaces which culturally and professionally are quite different. The first one is the architecture firm where he is a founding principal, MSR Design and the other one is a non-profit organization PLACE (Project Linking Art Community and Environment) where he is engaged as a board member. The time I spent at MSR has been very valuable because I was introduced to and was able to study the built environment’s green building certification, LEED. I got the chance to explore the application of sustainable solutions in an ongoing project where the non-profit team PLACE was involved as well. PLACE is collaborating with cities to design and build affordable and mixed-income, transit-oriented developments that feature the arts and economic development.
By working with Mr. Rockcastle, I have had the chance to explore many research projects as well. I have learned how to seek hidden opportunities and have started to understand how to transform any challenge into an opportunity. He is always creating a stimulating and productive environment to explore innovative ideas and integrative design.
Mr. Rockcastle introduced me to a revolutionary and game-changing innovative construction technology called Top Down Technology for mid/high rise buildings. Through this innovation each deck is constructed at ground level and elevated to its designed position and by so workers no longer work on elevated planes. This technology has numerous advantages like elimination of tower cranes, reduced structural weight, reduced cost of construction, accelerated project delivery and time savings. The most important advantage for us as architects is the column-free of interior and exterior. I was engaged to explore and research the diverse façade configuration of the advantages of this technology. Through my work with Mr. Rockcastle, I have been engaged to understand diverse site contexts and express the site challenges and opportunities through sketches and presentations for stakeholders. I have had the chance to better understand a different approach in the relationships built between architects, engineers, clients and stakeholders.
Moreover, I will have the chance to spend the last month of this internship in an adaptive reuse project located in a new office that Mr. Rockcastle will launch in Philadelphia and attend lectures in preservation and adaptive reuse too. By having the great privilege to work closely to Mr. Rockcastle I have explored and advanced opportunities to bring many things back to Albania once I return.
I am thankful to AADF for offering this life changing internship program. I really feel that this is the opportunity I was looking to have happen in my life. I am very grateful that I was given the chance to work with an inspiring, great architect that has helped me determine and advance my future goals.
Elirë Mancaj
