Artwork by Emma Landwehr
Always Under Construction
The transition from school to work every summer has always felt a little strange. Before I started interning, it meant going from architecture studio to the service industry, a complete 180 that never seemed to get any easier. Even after I began interning at different firms, I still felt like architecture school and professional practice lived in two completely different worlds. So, if I said I walked into Greyten on my first day without any nerves and expecting the smoothest transition I’d ever had, I’d be lying. But the thing about starting at Greyten was that my nerves felt different.
They weren’t rooted in trying to impress anyone. They came from wanting to understand how everyone here continues to learn.
From my very first day, I could feel that the culture wasn’t centered around simply completing tasks or checking boxes. It was centered around mentorship. That sounds like a simple difference, but after spending the summer here, I don’t think it is. The people around me never seemed interested in teaching me what to do as much as they wanted to teach me why we were doing it. Chad Glenn and Rachel Gordon especially approached every question I had that way. Instead of giving me an answer, they helped me understand the thinking behind it. Somewhere between redlines, code questions, and design conversations, I realized they weren’t just teaching me architecture, they were teaching me how to think like an architect.
That’s a much bigger lesson.
One thing I’ve learned is that there really isn’t a “small” task at Greyten. Whether I was working through concept layouts, brainstorming window frosting details, or helping put together a drawing set for the city, every project felt connected to something larger. Every detail had a purpose because every detail contributed to Greyten’s “why.” Architecture has a funny way of reminding you that even the smallest line on a drawing affects the building as a whole. This office feels the same way. Every conversation, every question, every sketch somehow contributes to the bigger picture.
I think that’s only possible because of the community that’s been built here.
I honestly can’t remember a day when there wasn’t some kind of ridiculous conversation happening somewhere in the office. Oddly enough, I think those moments made me a better intern. They helped me understand who everyone was, not just as architects, but as people. Pretty quickly I figured out who loved digging into building codes, who could solve a Revit problem in five seconds, who had an eye for detailing, and who always had a creative perspective I hadn’t considered. More importantly, I never felt like I couldn’t ask any of them a question.
That was probably the biggest surprise for me.
Architecture school sometimes makes it feel like everyone ahead of you has already figured everything out. You start believing that asking questions somehow means you’re behind. Greyten completely challenged that idea. Coming here doesn’t feel like working with a room full of experts. It feels like working with a room full of people who all know different things and are genuinely excited to learn from one another.
Expertise isn’t treated like a finish line, it’s treated like something that’s always under construction.
I remember one of my first site visits with Chad. We met with the structural engineer, the owner, and the construction manager, and naturally, a few things between everyone’s drawings didn’t quite line up. Nobody panicked. Nobody pretended to have all the answers. Everyone simply sat down, worked through the problem together, and figured it out. On the drive back, Chad made an offhand comment that has stuck with me ever since. He said he never wants to think of himself as an expert because calling yourself an expert can become an excuse to stop learning. I don’t know if he realized how much that conversation would stick with me, but it has.
Trips with Rachel Thomas stand out for a different reason. Watching her work with clients showed me that great design isn’t just about having creative ideas, it’s about making those ideas accessible to the people you’re designing for. She has this ability to think through challenges in real time while bringing everyone into the conversation, and that’s something I’ve really admired.
Then there were moments with Patrick Johnson, where conversations somehow bounced between architecture and completely unrelated passions. Getting to help, even in a small way, with the Riverside Pagoda Project while also talking about music reminded me that architects don’t leave the rest of themselves at the office door. Whether we were talking about design, Tool, or whatever random topic came up that day, those conversations taught me that your interests outside of architecture don’t distract from your work, they make your perspective richer.
Those moments happened everywhere. Around desks. On job sites. Riding back to the office. Talking with Rachel Thomas and the other interns about our favorite musicals one day, then debating which Pink Floyd album is the best with Patrick the next. None of it felt disconnected from the work. If anything, it made the work feel more connected because I wasn’t just getting to know architects, I was getting to know people.
Looking back now, I think that’s what I’ll remember most.
Of course I’ve learned building codes. I’ve learned how to assemble a drawing set, respond to comments, think through details, and communicate ideas more clearly. Those are all skills I’ll carry with me. But the biggest lesson wasn’t technical at all.
Greyten reminded me that architecture isn’t built by people who have every answer. It’s built by people who stay curious enough to keep asking questions.
Learning doesn’t end when you graduate. If anything, that’s where it really begins.
This summer has shown me that becoming a good architect isn’t just about becoming a better designer. It’s about becoming a better collaborator, a better listener, and a better peer. That’s a lesson I’ll carry with me long after this internship is over, and one I’m incredibly grateful to have learned here.
-Emma Landwehr
