Meet the 2022 Sasaki Summer Interns
While interns are participating remotely, the internship's emphasis on collaborative learning and working remains central
Meet the 2023 Sasaki Summer Interns
Sasaki has run a summer internship program annually for several decades, with the goal of providing meaningful experiences for students and recent-graduates interested in interdisciplinary design.
Traditionally, Sasaki welcomes its intern class to Boston for an in-person, 10-week-long summer program, which opens with a two-week design charrette that asks interns to work together across disciplines to tackle a local project for a real-world client —as they did in 2019 and 2018. This year, the program has expanded to our Denver and New York offices in addition to Boston! We are beyond excited to be able to welcome this year’s diverse and talented interns in all 3 locations.
Meet Sasaki’s 2023 Summer Interns below!
Heather Gaidjunas
Interior Design
Hometown
Barrington, IL
Education
Auburn University, BS Interior design
What’s your favorite piece of everyday design?
Furniture design because there are so many different shapes, textures, and scales. The right piece of furniture can fully transform a space!
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the theme song be?
True Blue by Boygenius
Zak Jacobi
Urban Design
Hometown
Beeton, Ontario
Education
Harvard GSD, Master of Landscape Architecture.
University of Toronto, Master of Architecture, BA Urban Studies and Geography
What’s your favorite piece of everyday design?
The logo for GO Transit.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the theme song be?
The guitar solo from Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Juman Barazi
Architecture
Hometown
Toronto, Canada
Education
Harvard GSD, Master of Architecture
What’s your favorite piece of everyday design?
Fun clothing and sneakers!
What’s your favorite time of day?
Past midnight—peak night owl design hours.
Maggie Kroening
Architecture
Hometown
Charlotte, NC
Education
North Carolina State University, Bachelor of Architecture
What’s your favorite piece of everyday design?
Chairs and water bottles.
Who inspires your work?
People—site specific design creates meaningful impacts!
Diego Soler
Planning
Hometown
Los Angeles, CA
Education
University College London Bartlett School of Planning, Master of Planning
Tufts University, BA Architectural Studies
What’s your favorite time of day?
Nothing beats dusk in the summer.
Who inspires your work?
I think a lot of my work is influenced by modernist movements like the Case Study House Program. My dad, who is an architect also continues to inspire me through our many conversations about design and city planning.
Rebeca Aro
Architecture
Hometown
Newton, MA
Education
Cornell University AAP, Bachelor of Architecture
What’s your favorite piece of everything design?
Doors—some of the doors walking along the streets of Boston are so unique and ornate.
Who inspires your work?
My family and friends 🙂
Helina He
Industrial Design
Hometown
China
Education
Rhode Island School of Design, BA Industrial Design, Art History and Cultural Studies Concentration
What’s your favorite time of day?
9:12 am and 3:45 pm.
Who inspires your work?
It is not necessarily a person. But I have been and am still inspired by the animal world. Their anatomies, behaviors, and the abstract shapes derived from them fascinate me.
Junyi Yang
Landscape Architecture and Planning
Hometown
Beijing, China
Education
University of Pennsylvania, Dual Master of Landscape Architecture and Master of City Planning
UC Berkeley, BS of Molecular Environmental Biology and BA Landscape Architecture
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the theme song be?
Sunrise in forest with Tyndall effect.
What’s your favorite time of day?
Everyday after dinner.
Mallak Al-Salmi
Landscape Architecture
Hometown
Muscat, Oman
Education
Washington State University
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the theme song be?
It would be a serene melody inspired by the peaceful sound of rain.
What’s your favorite time of day?
My favorite time of day is early morning when I can take it slow and enjoy the quiet.
Yongxin Yu
Landscape Architecture
Hometown
Zhongshan, China
Education
Harvard GSD, Master of Landscape Architecture
What’s your favorite time of day?
Whenever I am in the kitchen.
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the theme song be?
Cornfield Chase—Hans Zimmer
Slide Kelly
Landscape Architecture
Hometown
Morrison, CO
Education
Master in Design Studies—Risk and Resilience; Master in Landscape Architecture
What’s your favorite piece of everyday design?
Vernacular paving elements—specifically in Denver and Boston, the two cities that I share with Sasaki in calling home.
In Denver—its the Lyons sandstone sidewalk in the old downtown residential neighborhoods. Its so impractical because sandstone is unevenly textured and fractures so easily and I’m shocked that its ADA compliant, but it has this iconic character of front range that reminds me of home.
In Boston—its the blue Granite curbs. Its such a cool material used everywhere from historic neighborhoods to highway interchanges because of its resistance to wild temperature swings. It just lets you know you’re in New England the second you see it, despite its propensity for gauging the tires of parallel parkers.
Who inspires your work?
I collected atlases as a kid, so I have “National Geographic style” hardwired in my design sensibility. I love graphics that are data rich and comprehensive and allow the viewer agency to really study the work at length to achieve a deeper understanding and make their own connections. Like full-spread illustrated map.
Victoria Roscoe
Architecture
Hometown
West Chester, Pennsylvania
Education
The Catholic University of America, Bachelor of Civil Engineering and BS in Architecture
What’s your favorite piece of everyday design?
Glassware!
David Hunter
Strategies
Hometown
London, UK
Education
Leeds Beckett, BA and MA in Graphic Arts & Design
ATLAS Institute CU Boulder, PhD in Creative Technology
What’s your favorite time of day?
Early morning, to catch the sunrise.
Who inspires your work?
I’m currently reading Living in Data, by Jer Thorp, so among the many great practitioners working with data in creative ways, he is really inspiring in the breadth of topics he works across, the thoughtfulness, and the integrity he brings to those project.
Isla Francis
Landscape Architecture
Hometown
Vancouver, Canada
Education
University of British Columbia, Bachelor of Environmental Science (Ecology and Conservation), Bachelor of Environmental Design
What’s your favorite piece of everyday design?
The bicycle (and one day, hopefully a well-designed network of cycling infrastructure too).
Who inspires your work?
Anne Whiston-Spirn, Nina Marie-Lister and many other ecological thinkers and designers!
Jesus A. Mendoza Gonzalez
Planning
Hometown
Los Angeles, CA
Education
Harvard GSD, Master of Urban Planning
What’s your favorite piece of everyday design?
My tote-bag—helps me transport all other essentials (notebook, headphones, snacks)!
What’s your favorite time of day?
5 a.m. slow morning aesthetic + coffee as a ritual
Naomi Canino
Landscape Architecture
Hometown
Chicago, IL
Education
Rhode Island School of Design, Master of Landscape Architecture
If your life had a soundtrack, what would the theme song be?
J.Cole – p r i d e . i s . t h e . d e v i l feat. Lil’ Baby
Who inspires your work?
Jeff VanderMeer