Whether it’s a local Montessori School, an outdoor teaching pavilion for DC area students at the National Arboretum, a Buddhist temple, or a new indoor/outdoor arts space at Walter Reed’s Aspen Arts Park, Studio MB has been committed to its work on a diverse range of not for profit projects since the firm’s inception in 2011.  “We have a special desire to do such projects,” says principal David C. Bagnoli, AIA “and we understand that in nonprofit work every dollar spent is a gift.  That’s a challenge both humbling and rewarding all at once”.

But StudioMB’s work with nonprofits has, in the past few years, gained an additional component: The firm now actively works with several programs that give students a glimpse of career possibilities in architecture and the construction trades through hands-on experience.  The shortage of skilled trades in the construction industry is well publicized.  According to U.S. Census data, the share of workers in the construction sector 24 years or younger declined by nearly 30% between 2005 and 2016, and that trend continues today.  To encourage a new generation of young adults to learn more about architecture and the skilled trades, programs nationwide have started during the past decade to help address this imbalance and to show high-school students the diversity of careers available to them.  StudioMB is proud to be a part of this vocational education effort through involvement in a number of regional programs.

By building a single family house, the Fairfax County division of Phillips Programs’ “Building Futures” introduces high school students to the building trades.  Phillips Programs- a private nonprofit that serves over 500 students and families in the Washington metro area- helps prepare students ages 14 to 21 to become independent, productive young adults through a combination of career training and academic instruction with various support services.

Students in the Building Futures program divide their day between the classroom receiving academic instruction and time on a jobsite learning the building trades- carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, landscaping and other related skills.  Working with adult supervisors, students build a home from the ground up, and in the process learn life skills while gaining hands on construction experience.

For the past eight years StudioMB has provided the design and documentation for the program’s most recent homes, which eventually are sold and the funds reinvested in the next property.  StudioMB staff have benefited from the experience as well, and are energized by the opportunity to give back to the local community.

Working with local nonprofit D.C. Students Construction Trades Foundation, StudioMB has spent the past year working with students to design a houseboat with the foundation’s Academy of Construction and Design.  As part of the foundations Build a House-Build a Future construction education program, StudioMB Associate Jenna Bolino, AIA and Principal Adam McGraw, AIA spent eight weeks over the summer of 2020 working with high school students on the houseboat project for potential implementation at The Wharf in Southwest Washington.  While the coronavirus pandemic necessitated certain changes ot the program’s curriculum, such as working on the project virtually, work forged ahead, tying in hands-on experience of an actual design project with timely concepts related to resilient construction.

This new element for the Build a House-Build a Future program broadens students experience by working on a building design from start to finish, providing a window into what a career in architecture and the construction trades is like.  With mentorship from Bolino and McGraw, students worked on the houseboat’s design after learning from StudioMB staff about design and using SketchUp 3D design software.  Along the way, students were introduced to development on Washington’s Southwest waterfront and how StudioMB  has had to consider the impact sea-level rise on our region, all the while giving students career skills such as how to present their design ideas.  At the conclusion of the program, students designed and shared their ideas for the houseboats, and eventually received a certificate of completion.

“This program gives students the opportunity to really see what it takes to consider a project from inception through design and hopefully construction” Bolino says “so they can better understand whether this is a career path they might want to pursue.”

During the spring and summer months, StudioMB has been able to host high-school students who’ve expressed interest in architecture and design for an internship that lets them see first-hand what the job of an architect involves.  Held at the StudioMB office in Washington, D.C., the one-week immersion includes sequential meetings with firm staff to understand the different educational and professional opportunities and processes of designers, project architects, associates, and principals. In between, interns work on building models; participate in site visits and punch lists; and attend design team meetings.

Through personal interaction with the firm’s staff, the internship aims to provide practical skills and insights. For example, Associate Maureen McGee, AIA says she is intent on informing students about things she wishes had been better explained to her when she was applying to college, such as different licensing requirements for architects. “No one ever told me about that,” she says, “and it’s important.”