A Full-Circle Experience

Martin Majkrak’s Illinois Tech experience came full circle when he joined the College of Architecture as an adjunct faculty member.

As a student, he transferred from Wilbur Wright College and immediately became immersed in a challenging and enlightening curriculum at Illinois Tech that covers topics including contemporary architectural issues in the urban context. After dedicating his elective courses to hands-on explorations of composition, representation techniques, and color, he was well prepared to work part-time at a small firm in downtown Chicago, Hirsch MPG, in his fifth year. He eventually was offered a full-time position at the firm.

“The office produces mixed-use residential, hospitality, office, and retail and interior projects in the city of Chicago. I have performed various roles on projects in all parts of the project’s lifespan, from performing code and zoning analyses to design iterations, from presentation material production to project documentation, and from participating in construction administration site visits to project completion reviews,” Majkrak says. “Further, I also have had the opportunity to learn about interior design and to take part in interior design projects at the office. The interior design experience feels particularly valuable, since it has opened doors for me in a whole new professional discipline and line of thinking parallel to architecture.”