SmithGroup Exploring Post

For over 40 years our Detroit office has run an Exploring Post program that provides high school students with the opportunity to "explore" the architectural and engineering professions while participating in hands-on activities alongside professional architects and engineers within SmithGroup.  Through workshop meetings at our office in the Guardian Building, the Exploring Post enhances the participants’ enthusiasm and passion in their field of interest and encourages the career awareness required for their success as they advance to college. 

We have an exciting program planned and invite interested students to participate! Anyone is free to join at any time within the program year. See our schedule for future workshop dates.

High school seniors heading into an architectural or engineering degree program who have outstanding attendance for all the workshops are eligible for the SmithGroup Exploring Post Scholarship. More information about this will be announced in the workshops.

Are you an instructor or administrator hoping to bring Exploring Post content to your school or program? If you would like a printable flyer to share with your students, please consider sharing this document

FALL WORKSHOPS

There were five Exploring Post workshops in the fall of 2023. The first workshop, the College Information Session, featured representatives from universities that spoke about their architecture and engineering program offerings as well as about career preparation and planning opportunities for those heading into the design profession. This workshop is recorded and posted below as a reference.

The Introduction to Architecture and Engineering workshops featured presentations and activities led by SmithGroup professionals. Among the topics of discussion were daily workflow, expectations, collaboration, and design challenges. The Introduction to Architecture workshop contained an overview of Architecture, Interior Design, Planning, Building Technology, and Site Design, while the Introduction to Engineering workshop contained content relating to Civil, Structural, Electrical, Mechanical, and Plumbing Engineering. For a sense of the content discussed, the fall 2020 workshops were recorded and are posted below.

The Sustainability and Resiliency workshop provided context to the ways in which architects and engineers are designing in a changing environment using sophisticated analysis tools, advocacy, and improved, more efficient industry standards.

Lastly, the Life of a Project workshop was centered around a tour of a completed SmithGroup project and a presentation about its construction, illustrating the significance of coordination among architectural and engineering disciplines.

If you were unable to make it to any of the fall workshops, recorded content from past years’ presentations is available for viewing below. Viewing the recordings does not count towards attendance for seniors interested in either of the scholarships, but they are valuable resources and context for the spring workshops.

 

SPRING WORKSHOP

The spring season will continue with our traditional hands-on workshops in the SmithGroup Detroit office and will dive into greater detail about the architecture and engineering disciplines at SmithGroup. They will feature discussions about tools of the trade, developing technologies, design coordination, construction, and much more!

Below is some general information about what to anticipate from these specific workshops:

 

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

Have you ever looked at a building and wondered “How is it held up, and how does it stay up?” or “How does a building hold all those people and heavy furniture?” This workshop is for you!

 

ARCHITECTURE: INTERIORS AND PLANNING

We experience a building primarily on the inside, where choices made about the arrangement of spaces, furniture, and finishes are decisions made by architects, planners, and interior designers. If you want a glimpse into these careers or the design process, this workshop will be of interest to you.

 

ARCHITECTURE: EXTERIOR

Buildings are exposed to a variety of external elements and function within larger contexts of other buildings, so it is important for architects to have an understanding  of the environment. This workshop will provide an understanding of how a building is enclosed, along with tools architects use to monitor the longevity of buildings.

 

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

Whenever we’re in a building, we’re surrounded by devices, lights, and appliances that empowers how we live, work, and play. If you’re curious about how electricity gets to a building and the many paths it takes when it gets there, consider joining this workshop!

 

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Without the continued advancements of HVAC and plumbing in buildings, things would be rather uncomfortable and inconvenient for building occupants, to say the least! Find out why thermal comfort, airflow, and humidity control are critical to occupant comfort within buildings in this workshop.

 

CIVIL ENGINEERING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE

Just as important to us as the design of a building itself is where it’s located, the infrastructure that supports it, how we experience the land around a building, and how it local climate informs design. Learn more about Civil Engineering and Landscape Architecture in this workshop focusing on design beyond the building!

This year’s Exploring Post season may feature a summer site tour workshop(s), depending on interest and project progression. Date(s) will be announced later in 2024, if applicable.

Exploring Post 2024 Schedule SmithGroup

 

COLLEGE INFORMATION SESSION

RECORDED
September 27, 2023

UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY
https://www.udmercy.edu/

Dan Pitera, piteradw [at] udmercy.edu
James Lynch, lynchjj [at] udmercy.edu

LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
https://www.ltu.edu/

Eric Ward, eward [at] ltu.edu
Keith Kowalkowski, kkowalkow [at] ltu.edu

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
https://umich.edu/

Christopher Tremblay, cwtrem [at] umich.edu
Erin Sauers, erinjs [at] umich.edu
Madison Schell, madisone [at] umich.edu

 

INTRODUCTION TO ARCHITECTURE

RECORDED
NOVEMBER 19, 2020
6PM - 7PM

ARCHITECTURE
Abi Aragon, abi.aragon [at] smithgroup.com
Bryan Seef, bryan.seef [at] smithgroup.com

 

INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING

RECORDED
DECEMBER 3, 2020
6PM - 8PM

CIVIL ENGINEERING
Kelli O'Brien, kelli.obrien [at] smithgroup.com
Anna Strong, anna.strong [at] smithgroup.com
Steven Thomas, steven.thomas [at] smithgroup.com

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Susie Chung, susie.chung [at] smithgroup.com

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Kevin Hertig, kevin.hertig [at] smithgroup.com
Rizka Aprilia, rizka.aprilia [at] smithgroup.com

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Robert Melton, robert.melton [at] smithgroup.com

LIGHTING DESIGN
Maggie Hilgenkamp, maggie.hilgenkamp [at] smithgroup.com
Maria Del Castillo Berrio, maria.delcastillo [at] smithgroup.com

For more Q&A, click here