Learning From the Best: Internships, Mentors, and Real-World Design
Tama Sundstrom’s first internship was with two young architects who had trained under Frank Gehry. They were determined to bring Milwaukee into the 21st century, and their near-fanatic attention to detail, customer service, and environmentally friendly design left a lasting impression.
Learning to Design for the Real World
At MIAD, critiques and thesis defenses were conducted by working architects from across the city—professionals who knew how to design something beautiful and build it on budget. Tama learned how to think like both a designer and a builder, understanding the realities of construction, materials, and municipal permitting.
A Mentor Who Changed Everything
Then came the mentor who changed everything.
A Yale-trained architect who had transitioned the department from hand drafting to AutoCAD took Tama under his wing. He had more custom home design commissions than he could handle—and he gave them all to her. It was an extraordinary opportunity.
Her first three paid solo designs were one-of-a-kind, million-dollar lakefront homes.
Building Experience, One Home at a Time
Each project brought new challenges: unique client personalities, environmental constraints, grading issues, and wildly inconsistent permitting processes. The learning curve was steep, but invaluable.
These experiences taught Tama that great design requires more than creativity. It requires listening, problem-solving, technical skill, and a deep respect for the people who will live in the home.
