Lillian Candela

How did you find your current job?
I am an Architectural Designer at Kraemer Design Group in Detroit, Michigan. I have been familiar with the firm for many years as I am a Michigan native and had the opportunity to intern there the summer before my final year at Penn. Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to come back post-graduation for a full-time position.

What kind of work are you doing?
Kraemer Design Group does historic consulting as well as architecture, so I have the opportunity of working on the rehabilitation and reuse of existing historic structures in downtown Detroit and regionally as well as work on the Historic Tax Credit applications for our projects. Luckily, this job has enabled me to deploy both architecture and historic preservation skills simultaneously. My day-to-day work oscillates between design work, the production of construction documents, and the historical research required to submit Historic Tax Credit applications.

What attracted you to the firm or job?
The ability to use both historic preservation and architecture skills of course, but also the ability to contribute to the rebirth of Detroit. Growing up in Michigan, it’s incredibly exciting to see the rehabilitation of the downtown and how architecture and preservation are playing such a critical role in Detroit’s resurgence. Beyond that, KDG is a mid-size office and has a great team atmosphere which I really appreciated. I have always loved the culture and camaraderie of studio so finding an office with hardworking but fun-loving coworkers was a priority for me.

How did your education at PennDesign prepare you for your current tasks?
PennDesign taught me how to weave together my interests in preservation and architecture and expanded my creativity and critical thinking skills. I feel more confident tackling jobs that use the skills of a preservationist and an architect as I’ve had practice through studios and internships during my time at Penn.

Are there specific courses and instructors that influenced you philosophically?
My thesis advisor, Sophie Hochhäusl, constantly encouraged and inspired me to find creative ways of combining my interests in architecture, architectural theory, and historic preservation. Sophie’s architectural history and theory knowledge was unrelenting and her dedication to students is profound. Randy Mason in the historic preservation program was a constant support throughout my four years at Penn and the historic preservation studio led by him allowed me to experiment and push the bounds of what preservation and adaptive reuse means today and shaped how I would like to contribute to the preservation community in my career. Randy not only challenged me philosophically and in class but also acted as an incredible mentor to guide me through my time at Penn. Finally, Ferda Kolatan’s architecture studio, sited in Cairo, influenced how I think about architecture in historic contexts and pushed me to contemplate architecture as object.

Any top moment(s) of your education here?
I came to PennDesign for the education and their renowned dual degree programs but many of the top moments stemmed from the people and the classmates I encountered. Being surrounded by fun, brilliant, passionate people every day for four years was an incredible privilege – and of course spending Friday happy hours with them can not be topped! The travel opportunities that PennDesign offered were another top moment. I had the ability to travel to Egypt, Los Angeles, and (back to my home) of Detroit for various studios. Those opportunities are invaluable, and I will never forget them. Finally, being able to serve as the Co-President of PennDesign’s student council was a great experience which allowed me the opportunity to interact with students from every department and to work with faculty and staff to foster more opportunities for PennDesign-ers to interact with the other graduate schools at Penn.

What’s next?
I am going to begin taking my exams for architecture licensure soon and continue to work on the rehabilitation of historic buildings and honing my knowledge of Historic Tax Credits. Eventually, on top of my current position, I would love to teach and be able to further the research I began in my joint thesis which speculated on the future of mass-produced houses and suburbs.

Are you keeping in touch with others from your class/the Penn community?
Of course! Being in two degree programs gave me the opportunity to make so many incredible friends. While only a few are in the Detroit area, this gives me ample excuse to visit friends in Philadelphia, New York, LA, and more. I’ve already begun planning trips!

Any words of advice for prospective students?
Give yourself time to explore Philadelphia – a major perk of PennDesign is that it is in the center of such an incredible big city. Push yourself in studio, but also take the time to soak in your surroundings. Get to know your faculty as they’re such great mentors – and this can also lead to graduate assistant positions or future jobs! Take classes in other departments – never feel intimidated to explore electives that aren’t in your area of expertise. These are some of the courses I learned the most from (shout out to Vincent Reina’s incredible Housing Policy course in City Planning)! Find a student group you can be a part of – there’s always a position on student council for students in any major or any year! Student groups provide a break from studying, a chance to get to know other students you may not encounter otherwise, and the chance to expand your leadership skills. Finally, do things at your own pace at your own time. Don’t feel the need to join everything and take every elective your first semester – everyone does graduate school at their own pace and its your journey and your education. Enjoy it!