Student Architects Have Their Future by Design

School of Architecture and Design students Madeline Metzler and Katrina Deicmane had no inkling when they first stepped foot on the New York City campus—Metzler from Valdosta, Ga., and Deicmane from Riga, Latvia—that they would become award-winning student architects recognized by the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA).

^{A rendering of “Stanton Building Reimagined,” Metzler and Deicmane’s design to preserve and revitalize an abandoned brick building community center in Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Manhattan’s Bowery neighborhood.}

During a spring 2024 class, Metzler and Deicmane worked on their project “Stanton Building Reimagined” to preserve and revitalize an abandoned brick building community center in Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Manhattan’s Bowery neighborhood. Addressing relevant topics in architecture like adaptive reuse, accessibility, and sustainability, the duo’s design turns the old building into an entrance pavilion leading into the new community center, allowing visitors to experience a nod to the past before stepping into the contemporary space. Two red ADA-compliant ramps in the center of the site become the bridges between the existing building and the new addition. A cross-laminated timber frame wraps over the existing brick building as a renewable, low-carbon alternative to concrete that is aesthetically pleasing and brings warmth to the interior spaces.

“By using the old building as a threshold to the new community spaces, we aimed to create a middle ground—a symbol of continuity for the surrounding neighborhood,” says Metzler. “This approach ensures that the project feels like an elevation of spaces for the existing community, rather than the beginning of a park revamp aimed at attracting new residents.”

As the submission window for the 2024 SARA Student National Design competition coincided with the project completion at the end of the semester, the two undergraduate students decided to submit their work. By the time they returned to campus in the fall, Metzler and Deicmane received the exciting news that their design was among three Excellence Award winners. On the heels of their win, Deicmane is working with SARA members to start a SARA student chapter at New York Tech to connect architecture students with professionals in the field.

Studying for their bachelor’s degree in architecture means they are not strangers to this kind of practical, hands-on work. Metzler is currently working on her first comprehensive studio project—a design for the Brooklyn Public Library’s Clinton Hill branch to transform an existing one-story building into a redesigned space that better serves current community needs and sponsored programs. Adding dedicated programming areas, creating welcoming outdoor public spaces, and complying with New York City’s current energy standards and building codes, Metzler’s design balances extensive programmatic requirements with specific site constraints and includes exterior space requirements, building code compliance, and environmental response strategies.

Deicmane, who holds an interior designer diploma from Latvia’s Riga School of Design and Art, also recently completed studio design work on the Clinton Hill library branch. Focusing on two carriage houses from the 19th century, her project sought to bridge the gap between a historic neighborhood and a 21st-century sustainable design. Focusing on adaptive reuse—the practice of repurposing an existing building for new use rather than demolishing and rebuilding—her building redesigns preserve the unique character of the neighboring community and decrease waste and the need for building materials.

Off campus, the students have completed a variety of work for internships. Deicmane has worked with digital models of Montefiore and Yale New Haven Health buildings, as well as completed site visits to NBC Studios in Rockefeller Center. At her current internship with MJM+A Architects, she developed complete drawing construction sets. Metzler kicked off her in-person experiences in high school when she interned with a structural engineering firm and learned to use two-dimensional computer-aided design software. She then moved to an architecture firm where she worked on house renovations, a courthouse building, and a women’s shelter.

“Architecture is her passion, and she has been learning more and building her professional expertise each day with hard work and consistency,” Professor of Architecture Giovanni Santamaria, Ph.D.,says of Deicmane, who he supported in earning a scholarship in 2023. Adjunct Assistant Professor of Architecture Bradley Engelsman, M.Arch., taught Metzler’s third-year design studio class and notes that “her passion for the work and her desire to push for the best possible result is evident in the quality of her projects.”

With their expected graduation in spring 2026, they look forward to pursuing their future careers. Metzler would like to work in a design capacity and hopes to push her creative boundaries with different kinds of projects, defining her success by the range of challenges she tackles and the unique design solutions she develops along the way. Deicmane dreams of establishing her own architecture firm working on large-scale projects around the world and suspects she may one day earn a master’s degree in space architecture and a Ph.D. in art history to support her design work.

“Seek higher goals in each project you take on and think about how you can address global issues through your design,” Deicmane advises. “And always stay on the lookout for professional experience and mentorship.”