Anthropology major pursues architecture after internship experience

Jackson Feinknopf ’19, an anthropology major at The College of Wooster, discovered an important connection between anthropology and architecture through his APEX Fellowship experience. He worked as an intern at the EDGE, a firm in Columbus, Ohio, which focuses on landscape architecture and environmental revitalization projects. Through his role, Feinknopf learned about the various roles within an architecture firm and used computer modeling programs to create models for pools, plazas, and other landscaping projects. He was also able to attend several construction site visits and took photographs of the projects to be used in marketing and award submissions. 

Through this internship, Feinknopf connected his classwork in anthropology to the architectural field in interesting ways. While working with EDGE, he assisted with a beautification project in Nashville, Tennessee highlighting the work of prominent African American individuals within civil rights movements, music, or athletics. From this project, Feinknopf learned “how the field of architecture can work in an anthropological way to highlight unique cultural histories and bring diverse communities together through thoughtful design.” By applying a background in anthropology to this field, he was able to better evaluate a community’s needs. This internship strengthened Feinknopf’s interest in the field and encouraged him to pursue a master’s in architecture after graduation.

Posted in Experiential Learning on August 21, 2018.