internship evaluation - mikkel rantsén høgdal

Internship Evaluation

Mikkel Rantsén Høgdal

Architectural/Engineering Intern Fall 2021.

Field of education:

Architectural Engineering  

School:

Aalborg University

Describe your school and field of study:

I study Architecture & Design at Aalborg University on the master program in Architecture.

The idea of the study is to combine aesthetics and technical aspects to create more interesting, functional and sustainable buildings. 

Why did you apply for an internship at DOMUS? 

I applied to DOMUS because of their approach to architecture. The company has a focus on sustainability, where designing for people is a large part of it. I think sustainability is a very important aspect of architecture now but also very much in the future. 

Another reason I chose the company is, that DOMUS is a smaller company, where i might get more involvement and a wider range of tasks as well as more responsibilities, compared to a larger company, where the work might be more uniform. 

Can you list some of the projects you worked in during your internship at DOMUS, and your role in them? 

During my internship I worked on various projects of different scales and in different phases. Among others I worked on Folehaven, Rødtjørnen, Tartuhus, Bagsværd Hovedgade. The projects I spent most of my time on, was a larger multifunctional building with youth housing in Tårnby. 

What kind of assignments and tasks have you worked with during your internship at DOMUS?

My tasks as an intern consisted of sketching, digital drawing in 2D, 3D-modelling, rendering, preparing presentation material, site meetings/inspections and estimation of pricing. 

Describe the difference between studying and working as an intern at DOMUS?

Working as an intern is much more dynamic compared to studying. You get to work on many different projects and with many different tasks. When studying, I work on the same project from start to end. 

What did you learn at DOMUS?

My internship at DOMUS was my first professional experience in the building industry. I have learned a lot about working as a part of a professional team. I have gained knowledge about the different processes in a building project as well as the fine balance between economics, time and the quality in building projects. 

Did the internship change your perspective on the building industry? 

During my internship i discovered how complex the building industry really is, with all the different stakeholders that must cooperate in order to finish a project on time and within the budget, while maintaining the quality of the project. 

Did the internship expose you to unknown areas within the building industry or unexpected interests?

As a part of one of the projects, I was exposed to the collaboration between architects and engineers. I found it very interesting to see how architects and engineers collaborate in a professional environment, as I work in an interdisciplinary field between architecture and engineering in my studies at AAU.

Did the internship teach you something you can use in your future education/career?

I have improved my workflow, gained practical experience as an architects and expanded my knowledge about the building industry, which will definately be useful in my future professional life.   

Which skills did you acquire during your internship at DOMUS?

My digital drawing skills and my ability to create presentation material has improved significantly. I also believe, that my aestetic sense has developed.