Meet Our Intern Christina Fluman

Fresh off her first year at Syracuse University for her Master's Degree in Architecture, Christina recently joined the Edge team as our newest intern. Learn more about Christina in the Q&A below:

What inspired you to pursue Architecture?

My inspiration to pursue the field of architecture did not come until about halfway through my undergraduate degree. My high school did not offer any classes on architecture or design in construction, so I stuck to mostly biology courses and ended up starting off my college career as a biology major. However, once in college they offered just one elective course that was on the history of architectural design. I signed up for it immediately and I don’t think that I could have had a more inspiring professor who ended up persuading me to change the whole trajectory of my undergraduate degree. He was very passionate about his work in sustainable design and would question us so that we would rethink the integrity of our intentions for the future. The course in architectural history as well as my professor’s emphasis on sustainability ignited my passion for pursuing architecture. Unfortunately, my undergraduate college did not have a program for architecture, so instead I chose to study urban planning/policy, as well as environmental design so that I could set myself up to pursue a master’s degree in architecture. 

What is your favorite Architectural Style and why?

I’m not really sure if you could call it an architectural style but rather the mixing of architectural styles. I really love it when buildings are able to take two completely different styles from different time periods, whether it be through the use of materials or overall design of the building, and combine them to create an entirely new piece of architecture that doesn’t have one identity. You can’t look at the building and say “oh that’s Victorian or oh that’s modern.” I like the ambiguity of mixing styles and I believe that it creates an architecture that is playful and innovative.

How do you think the world of Architecture will evolve in the future?

I think that architecture is becoming a very “techy” industry. What I mean is that with the relatively new emergence of VR and AR, voice controls (“hey Alexa” & “hey google” for example), the autonomous vehicle, as well as the idea of “smart homes”, I think that architecture will become an increasingly dynamic field where more and more of the design decisions will be influenced by the integration of these newer technologies and how they may impact the layouts and styles that clients and architects choose to design for/with. Architecture is a field that is highly influenced by the social, political, and economic factors of a particular region or location. With populations increasing and decreasing around the world, shifts in power and control, as well as highs and lows in economies, it is hard to say what the future holds for architecture.  

Why did you join Edge?

I initially discovered Edge Architecture while studying at Syracuse University. The projects they had been involved in interested me and I really admired their overall goals and standards held for their business. I really wanted to gain more experience using drafting and modeling programs in a work setting and learn more about working in the architectural and construction industries. I also really enjoy working in a setting where I am able to get to know the people I am working with and feel a sense of support on the work that I am doing. Edge is a company that expects a quality work ethic, but it is also a company that is willing to help improve the skills and knowledge base of their employees so the work produced may reach its highest potential. It has been a great environment to work in.

Tell us something that people might find surprising about you.

I was a Division I soccer player at Stony Brook University where I received my undergraduate degree.