Career Path of an Architect Partner at Frederick Fisher And Partners
Marisa's career path was unconventional, beginning with an art history degree and a pivotal "Career Discovery" summer program at Harvard's Graduate School of Design that sparked an interest in architecture. After gaining practical experience at CHE Partnership/Ennead Architects and recognizing the need for formal training, Marisa pursued a Master's degree at Yale School of Architecture before joining Frederick Fisher and Partners, where she's remained since 2006, describing it as "a very special place".
Career Exploration, Overcoming Challenges, Career Development, Non-traditional Path, Resilience
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Marisa Kurtzman
Architect, Partner
Frederick Fisher and Partners
Wesleyan University, BA 1999
Yale School of Architecture, B.Arch 2006
History, Art History
Architecture, Construction & Design
Creative
Honors Student
Video Highlights
1. Marisa's non-traditional path to architecture, starting with an art history degree and utilizing a summer intensive program at Harvard's Graduate School of Design to explore the field before committing to graduate studies.
2. Her willingness to take on diverse tasks and learn from various projects during her initial role at CHE Partnership (now named Any Ad Architects), showcasing adaptability and a proactive approach to professional development.
3. Her long-term commitment to Frederick Fisher and Partners, highlighting the importance of finding a good fit and the potential for sustained growth within a firm.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Please include any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I started in college, where I majored in art history with a minor in romance languages. I hadn't really considered architecture as a career at all.
The most relevant experience I had in college was a course in exhibition design as part of my art history major. It was a fun, hands-on class that combined research and design to tell a story non-verbally using works from the college's art collection. I really enjoyed that process.
After graduating, I was pondering what to do with my life and wasn't sure if I wanted to pursue a PhD. About a year later, I had the opportunity to take a summer intensive class at Harvard's Graduate School of Design called Career Discovery. It's a six-week program that offers an introduction to architecture.
I really enjoyed the program and thought it might be something I wanted to pursue, but I wasn't ready for graduate school yet. At the time, I was living in Boston, but after that summer, I moved to New York. I was fortunate enough to find a job at an architecture firm called CHE Partnership, which is now called ANY Ad Architects.
I worked there for three years. I wasn't an intern; I was on staff, but I had very little formal training. I was open to doing pretty much anything they asked, so I learned many different things and got a taste of various projects. I really enjoyed that experience.
Ultimately, I realized there was a limit to what I could do without formal training, so I went back to graduate school. I attended the Yale School of Architecture and graduated in 2006. I then returned to my hometown of Los Angeles and got a job at my current firm. I've been there ever since. I realize that's unusual, but it's a special place, and I'm happy to have been there.