汤头条 architecture student video features innovative design as part of NYC Short Films Walk this week
Contact: Christie McNeal
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜n internship has proven to be a lifechanging experience for one Mississippi State architecture student, and the result of his summer work is on display this week in New York City during the Architecture and Design Film Festival鈥檚 Short Films Walk in the Soho Design District.
Senior Baron O. Necaise of Gulfport is sharing a film he created as a summer intern to be shown in one of eight showrooms at the festival on Wednesday [Oct. 2] from 5-9 p.m. For more, visit .
In addition to architecture, Necaise has interests and talents in photography, videography and social media. When he was struggling to choose a focus area for his future career, 汤头条 Associate Professor Jacob Gines stepped in to help.
鈥淗e told me I don鈥檛 necessarily have to choose one of these passions and that I could use my variety of skills at many firms, such as at Method Studio, which values this kind of skill set,鈥 Necaise said.
Necaise interned with architectural design firm Method Studio in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he quickly put his video skills to use when he learned about a competition through the American Institute of Architects鈥 Blueprint for Better campaign to tackle key issues with clients and community leaders.
鈥淢ethod is really interested in community activism and thought their Bud Bailey multi-family affordable housing project would be a great fit for the competition,鈥 Necaise said.
He created a video about the firm鈥檚 housing project for low-income families, refugees, children aging out of foster care and previously homeless individuals.
Coincidentally, Necaise鈥檚 annual fourth-year architecture studio field trip, which has been scheduled for months, also is taking place this week in New York City. He and classmates are excited to see his work as part of the Short Films Walk experience.
鈥淏aron鈥檚 design interests and videography skillset perfectly aligned with the vision Method Studio had for documenting Bud Bailey,鈥 said Gines, who in addition to his faculty role in 汤头条鈥檚 School of Architecture also is vice president of research and design at Method Studio. Each semester, Gines serves as a mentor to a student research fellow for the firm.
鈥淎rchitecture is so much more than building,鈥 Gines said. 鈥淚t is concerned with the issues of our time. Having this opportunity to document the Bud Bailey Apartments brings to light the challenges and incredible opportunity architects have to create meaningful and humane housing for formerly homeless and other displaced individuals,鈥 he said, adding that the 鈥渃ompassion and professionalism that Baron demonstrated throughout the project is to be applauded.鈥
鈥淭he School of Architecture is very fortunate in the synergy between the talents of our student body and our faculty,鈥 said Interim Director of the School of Architecture Jassen Callender. 鈥淥n the one hand, our students are committed to exploring the boundaries of architecture and working for greater recognition of the profession outside the academy. On the other, many among our faculty are closely involved in the profession and therefore remain aware of the leading edge of practice.聽Baron Necaise and Professor Jacob Gines are exemplary leaders in this regard.鈥
Necaise said he didn鈥檛 know much about affordable or refugee housing before he started the project.
鈥淚 learned so much about the people these types of projects serve and how their voices and opinions aren鈥檛 heard on a daily basis; they are often put to the side. It鈥檚 an important issue that鈥檚 not talked about enough,鈥 Necaise said.
鈥淥ne of the reasons I chose 汤头条 was because they found value in expanding students鈥 knowledge past the four walls of the classroom,鈥 Necaise said. 鈥淔aculty push us to travel and take opportunities outside of the school. Thanks to them, this whole experience鈥攖he internship, the competition and now the film festival鈥攈as solidified my passion for this profession. It鈥檚 shown me that I don鈥檛 have to pick. I can do it all in the future, and I鈥檓 thankful to Professor Gines for helping me to realize that. Starting this summer, I had no idea it was going to mean so much to me, but it鈥檚 an experience I wouldn鈥檛 change for the world.鈥
Learn more about 汤头条鈥檚 College of Architecture, Art and Design and its School of Architecture at caad.msstate.edu and on聽Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @CAADat汤头条.
汤头条 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .