DNA Architectos - a quick update to the present

Of course, the real reason I am here is because I am currently on co-op through Northeastern University, working as an architecture intern at DNA Architectos. The firm is small, consisting only of 15 people or so, but there are a million things to do! It´s quite a change from the 150 person firm I was at before, HOK back home in Washington. It truly is a new perspective on how things are not only done at firms abroad but also how things are done depending on the scale of the firm. This small office certainly has it's hands full and is always up for a challenge.

week 1

I was first put in charge of designing the layout, text, and images for an already completed project in Punta Brava on Costa Brava just south of Barcelona (in San Feliu de Guixols). The project was essentially a book that will be given to clients of DNA who are interested in purchasing the multi-million dollars flat that is up for sale. If DNA allows, I will be certain post images of the project but laws and restrictions, etc, could potentially be a problem. The house is gorgeous and I´m hoping I´ll get to take home a copy of my booklet.

I have made a few friends in my office as well. Jessica (from London), Emma (from Scotland) and Ingrid (from Italy). All around my age, we've gone out a few times since I've been here.

Jess and Emma!

Emma and I spent some of Friday shopping around the city after work. Of course, I was celebrating my new love for my new home of Barcelona so I ended up making some very quality purchases which I can not wait to bring back to the US. Before during which we enjoyed a relaxing glass of wine at my new favorite cafe downstairs from my flat!
After a quick rest and some delicious food Emma and I went to see DJ Calvin Harris (a shared favorite of ours) at a discoteca called Razzmatazz which is down by Port Olimpico. The clubs here amaze me - this one in particular was a three floor (more like six though!) shopping mall of club rooms with smaller bars and dance clubs branched off all spinning different music. The connecting terraces looked over parts of the city and the port. Todo erá fantastico!


week 2

More recently I have been back at work helping out with a huge Resort and Commercial complex going up in Tunisia. The Hammamet Resort is a multi-use complex consisting of apartments, sports complex, aquatic zoo, commercial center, etc. I have been thrown on all programs from AutoCAD to Photoshop to model building and have even had my hands on some small design portions. It´s a really exciting project to work on, though working 930am to 7pm (Mon - Thursday, only until 2pm on Fridays!!!!) is tiring, the work is exciting and Ive learned so much only having been here for two weeks now.

This past weekend Emma, Jess and my new friends Natalia (from Poland), Xristina (from Cypress) and Sabrina (from France) all went out to a DJ event at a bar here called Marula. DJs WANTED is a duo of two guys who spin a weekly Samba versus Funk dance party which we were invited to. The dancing was incredible and I ended up running into Juancho's friends who helped me improve my dancing skills. Haha! Called it an early night (at 430 - which is VERY early to Spanish culture!) and headed home.

Saturday all the girls and I went to an Erasmus party near Plaça Jaume. The Erasmus program is similar to the US co-op program but is much more common amongst architecture students in Europe. We went to a house party hosted by some Erasmus students, at which we met a few guys who took Jess, Emma, and me to an underground squat party - pretty much at a venue rented by the "party throwers". The DJ there was spinning all sorts of Spanish music from Salsa, to Funk to Rap, to Electronic. The dancing was fantastic and the entire event was free!

We also got invited on Saturday after the Squat party to go back to our new friends art gallery from some drinks and extra late night dancing. The art was really cool and now the artists are our new friends!