“with every end there comes a new beginning”

Gabion week has finally come to an end. With little to no past knowledge of sewing, I think my grandmother would be quite proud of my ability. After this week I am pretty certain that I could perform a minor surgery with 12-gauge wire and a pliers.

As I finish my career as a design build student, more or less a build student, I have come to learn more than I thought I was going to learn. Everything from reading construction drawings and detailing to the frustrations when something has to be done multiple times has been engraved in my head over the past 3 weeks. Upon leaving, Nick Lippert asked me “was it worth it?” Looking back I would have to say absolutely. It is one thing to sit in front of a dark lit desk and design an imaginary building on paper; but it is something completely different to actually build a 1:1 building model with your peers. My knowledge of passive materials, construction details, and construction building has increased throughout the build and hopefully will continue to increase in the years to come. I think everyone should get out and see exactly how the buildings we design are constructed in the real world. To see every detail come together is quite astonishing and should be something you take pride in.

Unfortunately the build must come to an end for me as my 4th year high rise semester beings tomorrow morning. It has been a blast working with everyone in the build, and an honor to help construct a building designed by my fellow peers.

Best wishes to everyone during the fair,

-L. Schneider