Resources

Recognizing the underrepresentation in our field, SMR is looking at the barriers people of color face when choosing to enter the industry and ways to get a broader range of young people interested in architecture. SMR regularly participates in internship and scholarship programs and other forms of community outreach.

Below is an overview of some of our current initiatives in this area.

 

SMR Internship Program

SMR Architects has been working with the Rainier Scholars Program, University of Washington, and Washington State University to create an annual summer internship program to help introduce BIPOC students to the architectural profession. In 2022, the program’s initial year, the firm hosted two interns, who researched two projects in the Yesler Terrace neighborhood. During the summer of 2023, our interns conducted a research project that analyzed courtyard and entry paces in permanent supportive housing developments in Seattle.

Our interns’ research greatly benefits SMR’s clients by providing invaluable feedback from the people living in recently developed affordable housing, feedback that we can implement in future projects.

To apply for SMR’s 2024 summer internship, please send your resume to rtakahashi@smrarchitects.com.

View the 2023 interns’ research by clicking the link below.

2023 Summer Internship Summary

 

AIA-WA Council Scholarship Program

SMR, in partnership with the AIA Washington Council, recently created a scholarship program for BIPOC students pursuing architecture degrees at the University of Washington, Washington State University, or a community college. The SMR Architects-AIA Washington Council Diversity Scholarship was created in 2023 with an initial investment from SMR Architects with a goal of providing financial assistance to students early in their architectural education who come from marginalized and underrepresented communities. The scholarship offers students with a passion for architecture an opportunity to begin or continue their pursuit of a degree. The first scholarship was awarded for the 2023 – 2024 school year. (Pictured: the 2023 – 2024 scholarship recipients.)

 

AIA Seattle Design Festival

In August of 2023, several SMR employees participated in the Seattle Design Festival.  Their exhibit, CommuniTEA, was an interactive exhibit where participants explored and engaged with the past, present, and future of Seattle – the city in which they live, work, or play. Through public participation and crowd-sourced feedback, the group aimed to glean the hopes and frustrations of residents of the Greater Seattle Area.

CommuniTEA created a physical manifestation of our paths and priorities in the city using interactive maps; as more and more people provided input throughout the day, the accumulated responses revealed patterns for participants and passersby to view and interpret. The goal was to cultivate awareness of Seattle’s strengths and shortcomings to create a more sustainable, accessible, and equitable future for the city.

Thanks so much to SMR’s design team – Kim Anh Tran-Dinh, John Rodezno, Jonah Jumila, Brandon Milling, Augusta Milford, Greta DuBois, and Jacqui Aiello! We appreciate all of your amazing work on this effort!