Epstein’s Ilyssa Kaserman Attends the International Masonry Institute ‘Masonry Camp’

Last week, Epsteins Ilyssa Kaserman, a member of our Chicago-based architectural design studio, attended Masonry Camp, a nationally recognized design-build training program for architects and craftworkers, held from November 27 December 2, 2017 at the International Masonry Institute (IMI) training center in Bowie, Maryland. At Epstein, Ilyssa, who is a recent graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology, is currently involved in drawing the masonry details for a modular New York hotel project. Ilyssa wanted to attend the IMI Masonry Camp as an opportunity to be able to experience in real life the construction what she is drawing in the studio. She heard about the IMI program from CSI Chicago, and was awarded a full scholarship from IMI to attend the program.

Photos courtesy of Alison Harbaugh of Sugar Farms Production

While at IMIs Masonry Camp, Ilyssa attended technical lectures, heard presentations from renowned architects, toured historic masonry structures, experienced hands-on instruction on constructing with different materials, and competed in a team design-build challenge. Ilyssa found the experience of working in a team with skilled journeymen, members of the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC), to be particularly rewarding, and enjoyed being able to ask detailed questions directly to the source of the people who are involved in constructing buildings, as well gain direct invaluable hands-on experience.