(My Architectural Internship Experience in Korea)
In the Fall of 2018, I got an opportunity to attend Soongsil University, Seoul (Republic of Korea) as a part of the International Exchange Programme and by the end of the semester, I chose to stay back for next 6 months to gain some practical experience through an Architectural Internship. So, before I started to look for an internship in Seoul, I had to make clear for myself what are my goals and expectations based on the fact that I could apply to a few offices which I considered could fulfil my goals.
One of the main goals was to try something new that I might not be able to do at home in India. Therefore, I desired to try if I can be a useful member of an atelier/ big office, which deals with the mixed-use project in Korea. I also wanted to see how this kind of office work on the professional level- the structure and organization, how they deal with different projects, how they treat their employees, etc. and maybe to gain some new contacts for my future career. And finally, the day came when I got an offer from an atelier firm UTAA.
The internship at Urban Tablet of Actualized Architecture Arcadia (UTAA) fulfilled most of my goals. I had the chance to try if all these years I spent studying were worth it or not. I was using and practicing the knowledge and skills I gained during my studies in the ‘real world’. I was working on manifold assignments. Most of the time I was working on the conceptual planning and mass modelling of the buildings. This was a great opportunity to practice my computer and graphics skills. I was working on various programs. I developed my skills in many programs such as Adobe Illustrator, PS, AutoCAD, Sketchup and I even learned a new program- Revit and Rhino basics.
I got lots of analytic tasks and case studies to do for various projects. To make a good analysis at first, I had to study the problem and project site I have been analysing. It was enrichened me with a lot of new and interesting information, which I may use in my future career. In UTAA, they take a good analysis as one of the most significant parts in the project and I learned the importance of it. I had to figure out what to analyse, how to interpret my conclusions. At the end of the first month of the internship, I had a meeting with my principal architect Kim Chang Gyun. before we met, he spoke to all the employees I worked with to find out, how am I doing. then he told me what is my colleague’s opinion about me, where I am doing well and where should I improve. I was glad to know that most of what he told was positive and everybody was satisfied with my work. However, there are always things, which were needed to be practiced and improved. Sometimes I work too precisely and spend too much time on details, which are not really important and that slows down my working flow.
During my internship, I had a chance to watch and learn how this kind of company works from the inside. I found how the company is organized and what are the responsibilities of the employees are. I learned how important is good time management, scheduling and communication. without that, a company like UTAA could never be so successful. I tried to observe how they keep the employees motivated, enthusiastic and efficient in the office. Thanks to that the company has stayed healthy, successful and progressive for over ten years. However, my internship was not only about the work experience. A big part of it was also a social experience. from the moment I came to the office for the first time, everybody treated me like I was one of them. I had the same rights and privileges as the other employees. I met a lot of new people- professional architects. we were talking not only about the work but also about our private lives, our families, friends, etc. Quite often they were asking me about India, my studies and how am I experiencing Korea. Together we celebrated birthdays, watched documentaries after office hours, went to events, etc.
The UTAA company is almost purely Korean Atelier Architecture office. of course, everybody has a good command over English but all the bureau and meetings were mostly in Korean. Therefore, I had to initiate a discussion in English. on the other hand, I started to self-study Korean and this was a great practice. by the end of my internship, I could not really speak hangul but I understood most of the content and read basics. The experience of working at UTAA has enrichened me greatly. working with real professionals, practicing my skills and knowledge gained at school and to learn a lot of new things, I could probably never had learned in school. Last but not the least, I would like to thanks my home university dean and academic training coordinator for their constant support all the time.