Intern Spotlight: Caitlyn Longest

We’re going to miss seeing Caitlyn in the studio! Caitlyn spent her time as a COOKFOX summer intern performing research on healthy materials, culminating in the monthly healthy materials showcase. The exhibit’s intent is to highlight underutilized materials that embody our vision for sustainable design, thus expanding the palette at our studio’s disposal. The theme for the August exhibition was resilient flooring, where she selected a variety of flooring materials which met our rigorous criteria for environmental concern and equitable sourcing. Through extensive research into different certifications related to ecological and human impact, Caitlyn compiled new labels for the materials library. This experience integrated Caitlyn’s two passions: art and nature.

Caitlyn grew up in Rhode Island before moving to Pennsylvania to study Studio Art at Dickinson College.  While her college did not offer a course of study in architecture as such, she had always harbored an interest in the field and used this summer as an opportunity to explore the industry. Caitlyn found the sheer complexity embedded within the practice of architecture to be exhilarating. From her perspective, every component of the design process yielded a new journey of discovery. Every decision demanded an interdisciplinary set of considerations, the depth of which excited Caitlyn. Her time spent shadowing others in the studio provided insight into every facet of an architectural studio’s work, reaffirming her initial interest in the field. The connection she felt to others through a physical presence in the studio also played a vital role in her summer experience. Meeting new faces and hearing new stories developed the human dimension of architectural practice.

While Caitlyn is unsure of her exact future course, she is considering pursuing a Master’s degree in Architecture through a Fulbright scholarship to Italy. We wish her all the best!