Charlotte Hofstetter
California College of the Arts, San Francisco
Class of 2010

Internship: Lawson Willard Architecture, San Franscisco

A small Bay Area architectural firm founded in 1991 focusing on residential, institutional and commercial work, including design for renovation and new structures, as well as site planning, master planning and interior design.

Favorite thing about her internship:
Charlotte: "The intern experience makes you understand architecture. I can now read plans and create details much better, and I have a greater understanding of how the process of architecture works. I also like the small office environment. I don't think I would have learned as much working in a big firm."

Greatest lesson from her experience:
The real world is not like school

Charlotte: "It was a very realistic experience, unlike school, which is sometimes like being in a playground where you play with a lot of your own ideas. I didn't realize how much documentation there is, how fast everything moves, and how many people are required to get a project done."

Her greatest contribution:
The eagerness to tackle any task or challenge thrown her way

Jeffrey Benningfield: "We don't take in an intern to help take out the trash or organize our library. Our philosophy is that we need help with our projects so we put the intern to work as an architect. It might be needing schematic pricing one day, or structural drawings the next day. What she didn't know how to do, she learned fast. She always came to work with an upbeat 'What are we doing today' attitude."

How well she performed:
Above expectations

Jeffrey Benningfield: "We were able to see her grow professionally. At first, it may take her several hours to complete a task we could do in an hour, But she gains a valuable skill for the next time we need her. That's what is rewarding about the intern program: it allows us to give back to the architectural community by training talented people in their chosen profession."

Featured Project:
A high-end custom home for a client living 1,500 miles away

The Challenge: The project was a 3,000 square foot, 2-floor family residence at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. The home was to be built in an exclusive country-club neighborhood with strict design guidelines.

The Solution: Designing in 3D to maximize square footage and adhere to tough design guidelines. The firm was able to gain approval for the design and materials from both the client and governing agency by presenting 3D elevations and renderings derived from the ArchiCAD BIM model, then extracting the 2D documentation from the model to ensure accurate drawings and scheduling.