Hennebery Eddy hosted two interns this summer, both of whom are working on Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Oregon – Portland focused on historic preservation. In the second of this two-part series, Shannon Hines shares highlights from her historic preservation internship and takeaways from her time with the firm. Click here for Michael Moran’s experience.
Throughout school, I have had an interest in the historic preservation side of architecture and have taken both architecture and historic preservation classes at the University of Oregon – Portland. I first learned about Hennebery Eddy through one of my architecture studios when Tim Eddy came to talk with us about the Albina Vision effort the firm had been working on and learned more when Josette Katcha came into a historic preservation class to talk about her role as a specialist in the firm’s historic resources group. This was how I learned about Hennebery Eddy’s strong historic preservation expertise. This interested me because I would be able to combine my studies in a professional setting.
On my first day, I was brought on to the Washington State Parks Condition Assessment where I was able to document existing conditions and assess repair options for the log structures. This project was nothing like I have ever worked on and taught me how to draw construction details based on 1920s construction methods and materials. I was able to return to one of the parks to evaluate a set of windows that were removed from a dining facility. We were able to locate the original windows in a maintenance warehouse and will be able to restore them instead of manufacturing new ones.
I also had the opportunity to work on the Nakamura U.S. Federal Courthouse in Seattle, studying exterior façade restoration alternatives. The project work included an assessment of all previous repair work and testing performed on the building, and assessing the feasibility of a patch repair. The outcome of this work went into a report for the client on alternative repair and recladding options. I prepared a presentation where Hennebery Eddy shared the existing conditions of the building with our GSA client; with their input, we then ranked restoration options using criteria we’d previously discussed. It was a great learning experience to work through the evaluation criteria. At the end of my internship, I gave a presentation on the research and evaluation criteria that the project team compiled, as well as other case studies that used different re-cladding methods.
Being part of the historic resources group allowed me to combine my two interests of architecture and historic preservation, areas that are separate in school. Working for a firm that specializes in historical architecture has been both educational and rewarding.
After my summer at Hennebery Eddy, I will return to the University of Oregon – Portland for my final year in the graduate program. I will receive my Master’s in Architecture with a Historic Preservation Specialization in June 2019. After graduating, I will remain in Portland and pursue my passion for historical architecture.