During the summer of 2025, I worked as a Preservation Intern at Beyer Blinder Belle Architects and Planners in New York City. The firm works on preservation, adaptive reuse, and contemporary intervention projects that often extend beyond individual buildings, forming part of larger urban-scale master plans. As part of the preservation studio, I had the opportunity to take part in both research and design tasks that supported a variety of ongoing projects. I worked on multiple projects at the same time, which made the experience a dynamic learning process. I assisted with project documentation, design intervention, and condition assessments. We frequently visited project sites, where I participated in surveys, documentation, and client meetings. The firm was very collaborative and multidisciplinary, and I often had the chance to connect with professionals and interns from the New York, Boston, and Washington, D.C. offices.
The courses I took in my first year gave me a strong foundation for the internship. From Contemporary Design in Historic Settings, I drew on ideas about integrating new design within historic buildings, while Building Pathology gave me tools for understanding materials, deterioration, and diagnostic approaches. Additionally, taking part in condition surveys and documentation photography not only reinforced what I learned in Documentation but also improved my ability to recognize signs of deterioration in buildings.
Over the course of the internship, I was able to develop additional technical skills. I became more confident working in Revit, which I used to produce the deliverable documentation for projects. I also learned how to put together sets for projects submission and clear presentation materials to communicate ideas.
The internship also offered valuable opportunities for professional development. I worked with architects, planners, and preservationists across the firm, many of whom shared their career paths and how they ended up working in these projects. Through the projects I was involved in, I engaged with a wide range of preservation challenges—from stabilizing historic ruins and exploring adaptive reuse strategies to preparing building condition assessments.
Overall, my time at Beyer Blinder Belle was a formative experience that connected what I have been learning at Weitzman with real-world practice. It gave me the chance to apply theories and methods I had studied, while also growing professionally and personally. Everything I learned and the relationships I developed will continue to guide me as I move forward in the historic preservation field. Many of the ideas I explored during this internship–such as adaptive reuse strategies, the role of diagnostic tools, contemporary interventions–are themes I plan to continue researching in my thesis throughout the 2025–2026 academic year.
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