Dimitris Kogalidis shares his experience of participating in Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs

Dimitris Kogalidis traveled to Netherlands for six months as a New Entrepreneur in the Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs program and is sharing his experience with you:

”My experience at the Casanova + Hernandez office was multifaceted and distinctive.

From the moment I started at the office, I immediately became involved in the ongoing projects and was quickly introduced to the office’s design and organizational workflow. During these six months, I had substantial involvement in every project that was active, participating in almost every aspect of them. I worked on drawings, presentations, 3D models, and photorealistic renderings, as well as competitions. This helped me become more flexible in my design approach and taught me how to operate in a professional and fast-paced working environment where conditions require quick decision-making and confidence.

In the last few months, as several interns rotated through the office, I also began to take on additional responsibility in guiding and assisting them. This was a pleasant change, since I had not previously had the opportunity to “manage” people. It was very helpful because in the near future I plan to hire assistance for the business I am preparing.

The principals (Helena and Jesús) were very friendly and kind to me, and they helped me with any problems or questions I had, showing me in practice how an office with a small administrative structure operates. They are both experienced architects with extensive academic and professional knowledge, which led to enriching discussions that helped me better understand how the office functions.

Overall, the experience at the office was enjoyable and very beneficial. The truth is that I would have liked to have been more involved in meetings with clients or external collaborators (since I had no participation in those at all), which disappointed me because it is a significant part of the professional experience. Nevertheless, I retain the many positive things I gained under the guidance of Casanova + Hernandez”.