During my minor, as a third-year architecture student, I did an internship at EGM architects. I worked with senior architect Martijn in ’t Veld from September 2019 to January 2020.
Through Martijn I learned about various hospital projects. Although projects of this kind are enormously complex and demand great precision, he was able to supervise me very well. Other colleagues were also on hand to help me if necessary and to answer questions. The informal vibe made working here very pleasant, and I was easily able to complete the five-month period.
I acquired more insight into the way architects communicate with clients, into what’s expected of architects, into which tasks need to be performed, and into how that is done correctly and efficiently within an office. In addition to the many impressions and insights, I also got much better at using computer programs such as Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp and Photoshop.
Even though I was just an intern, I felt that I was given important tasks to do. That showed that I was trusted, and that kept me motivated and I was able to continue developing my skills. I also felt that colleagues treated me as a full team member, and didn’t look down on me.
I was able to work on projects for the Radboudumc in Nijmegen, UMC Utrecht and a few foreign projects. One of the nicest and most educational tasks involved working on the layout of a nursing ward. Here I discovered just how much is involved in designing a hospital.
An appointment with brick manufacturers and a meeting at Radboud were also very instructive, since I was able to see the link between the architect and external parties.
I was also regularly involved in making 3D models and renderings. They taught me a lot about how, why and with what you make them. In short, I look back on an enjoyable and educational period, a great start to my future career as an architect.