Throughout the last few weeks, our Island Interns have been writing about their summer adventures while living on Isla Palenque. What you might not know is that we have also had the pleasure of hosting two Design-Build Interns on Palenque, who were put to the task of constructing a beach-side pavilion to provide shade and comfort to those visiting Playa Palenque.
A new haven for relaxation on Playa Palenque
This past week, I had the chance to catch up with our Design-Build Interns before they flew back to the States and hear a little bit about their experiences on Isla Palenque and their completed project. Williams and Brummer are both recent graduates in the field of architecture but with varying specialties.
Adam and Cade
Adam Williams is originally from Pennsylvania and is a 2009 graduate of Rice University School of Architecture. His passion for architecture was confirmed in high school where he first recognized his love for conceptualization and building. His aesthetic eye led him to freelancing in graphic design after graduation before he found out about the internship opportunity on Isla Palenque.
Cade Brummer also realized his passion for architecture at a young age. During high school, Cade saw architecture as the marriage of his favorite disciplines – math and science – combined with his passion for creative expression.
Cade is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Architecture, Design and Planning, where he received his Masters of Architecture. He also had his first experience in sustainable design during his studies and helped to create the Center for Design Research on the university campus.
Both Cade and Adam truly believe that they have gained an invaluable experience and become better architects after seeing a project transform from concept to completion within the summer.
According to Brummer, the “design-build aspect of architecture allows an architect to create a puzzle, build the pieces, and then put the puzzle together.” In this case, the pieces of the puzzle were inspired by Cade and Adam’s first weeks exploring the island and getting to know the environment they would be building on.
Williams says that he really feels a sense of ownership of the finished product. Being involved with every aspect of building the platform and working with the Palenque crew to make it happen were his favorite things about the summer. He affirmed that “the day-to-day life on Palenque was eye-opening both culturally and professionally and an invaluable experience.”
The culmination of their experience is the latest addition to our beach amenities on Playa Palenque and according to Williams, it’s the perfect space for casual dining, open-air conversation and watching the sunset.
I, for one, can’t wait to get to the island, crack open a freshly-fallen coconut and relax in the shade of our new pavilion. Congrats on a job well done Adam and Cade!
