Expert Advice

edited by Sheila Kim-Jamet -- Interior Design, 9/1/2004 12:00:00 AM

Once upon a time, hands-on apprenticeships would introduce young architects to the tricks of the trade. Today, that's a thing of the past. Participating in the Intern Development Program is indeed a prerequisite for the Architect Registration Exam, yet daily one-on-one interaction is practically obsolete.

As a corrective, the Emerging New York Architects Committee of the American Institute of Architects's New York chapter—the oldest and largest in the AIA—aims to bring back old-fashioned nurturing with the launch of Mentoring: Beyond IDP. Pairing master architects with small groups of budding talents for at least four sessions over the course of nine months, the ambitious program has already secured the mentoring help of James Polshek, Ronette Riley, Calvin Tsao, and Billie Tsien. Registration is open through September 30 to design professionals who have completed undergraduate or graduate studies within the last 10 years.