STUDENTS ARE BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

Budding architects will work on Bermuda’s historic homes during summer internship
By Don Burgess

Colin Campbell is looking to the past to help preserve Bermuda’s buildings for the future. 
The regional director for design firm OBMI is launching a summer internship programme for budding architects based on a successful scheme he ran 16 years ago.
The project could see students work on historic buildings such as Tucker House, the Unfinished Church, Verdmont, ­Waterville, Tivoli, Springfield and Ships Inn.
Mr. Campbell hopes other architectural firms will unite to help the students and provide drawings that can be donated to the Bermuda National Trust.
He said: “There is a requirement to invest in the future. 
“Times and tides continue to pulse and we need, as a community, to invest in scholarship and good effort.
Ancient
“In a normal economic run, students of value present their skills sets and are absorbed by the economic community — but this isn’t a normal time.
 “In 1993, under similar economic circumstances, my partner and good friend, Maurice Terceira, and I decided something had to be done.”





They founded the American Building Survey programme, a survey of ancient buildings which helps students understand old structures. 
It is the template for his new scheme.
Mr. Campbell said: “What we’ll try to do with our architectural colleagues is place one student with each office, who would then be paired up with a buddy from another office. 
“The first week they would study one surveyor’s house, then the following week they would study the buddy’s house.”
There will be two to three weeks of fieldwork then the same period of drawing.
Mr. Campbell said: “This will give a clear snapshot as it exists today. 
“We do not elaborate as to what it might have looked like 50 years ago, 100 years ago or 200 years ago.
“The drawings will be given to the Bermuda people through the national archives.”
The last few weeks of the programme will focus on preparing the documents so that they can be understood by the public as well as scholars. A presentation will be made at the end of summer.
Mr. Campbell said:  “These young adults will have to make decisions, draw from their experiences and have the wisdom to look to their mentors.”
Jordy Walker will serve as the senior architect mentor for the students and Brandon Scott will assist Mr. Campbell in the internship programme. 
Mr. Campbell said: “Their mentors are the archi- tectural offices, which are contributing the space, time and advice the young architect needs to learn.”
It will be the responsibility of the architectural firms to solicit funds from clients to sponsor students. 
It should cost around $7,500 per intern.
Mr. Campbell said: “It’s just to cover the cost of the student’s salary.
 “What this buys is a clear understanding what a classic piece of archi- tecture is all about. 
“The drawings are then assembled not only with the name of the house, the property, the surveyors, but also the sponsors.” 
The 1993 project documented famous buildings such as Carter House and Bridge House. 
It cost $2,500 per student, with the entire programme costing $32,000 — but the value of the survey was worth more than $250,000.
Mr. Campbell said: “This isn’t a static project. This is a chance for students to have a structured start to allow their wonderful, fruitful thinking to add contact and joy to Bermuda.” 
If you are an architect who would like to mentor a student, contact Brandon Scott at bscott@obmi.com or Colin Campbell at ccampbell@obmi.com


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