Lillie Boero and Olivia Mittendorf have joined Trivers for the summer. Lillie, who is pursuing master’s degrees in both architecture and urban design at Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), is Trivers’ CityStudioSTL Fellow, focusing on civic- and community-centered projects. Olivia is Trivers’ architectural intern from Houston, Texas. With a passion for adaptive reuse and historic preservation, Olivia is working toward her bachelor’s degree in architecture with a minor in sustainability from the University of Arkansas.
Learn more about Lillie’s and Olivia’s experiences at Trivers in the Q&A below.
Q: Why do you want to be an architect?
Lillie: I want to be an architect because I believe it’s one of the most meaningful ways I can make a positive impact on people’s lives. The opportunity to design spaces where people experience some of their most important moments is both exciting and incredibly fulfilling.
Olivia: I’ve wanted to be an architect ever since I fell in love with building blocks and LEGO sets as a kid. As I got older, that interest evolved into building worlds in video games, and eventually I began taking architecture classes in high school. That’s when I realized architecture was truly the career for me.
Q: What inspired you to pursue a fellowship/internship at Trivers?
Lillie: Trivers had been on my radar throughout my five years at WashU. I had heard great things from friends who completed the CityStudioSTL Fellowship here, and what stood out to me was the firm’s commitment to making a local impact. I hope to build my career in St. Louis, where there’s so much meaningful work to be done, and Trivers’ deep connection to the city resonated with me. It feels like a firm that’s genuinely proud to call St. Louis home and is invested in helping it thrive.
Olivia: A lecture in my architectural history class about historic preservation in St. Louis sparked my interest. I already knew I wanted to move to St. Louis because my partner is from here, so I started researching firms behind the city’s preservation projects. That’s how I found Trivers. The firm’s work in historic preservation, adaptive reuse and sustainability immediately stood out to me. It felt like the perfect fit.
Q: What projects are you working on this summer?
Lillie: I’ve worked on several projects that support nonprofits and strengthen communities. I’ve contributed to an adaptive reuse project in Old North that will bring community services to the neighborhood and have created promotional graphics for Jubilee Community Wellness Center, which will provide housing and support for people recovering from addiction in North St. Louis. More recently, I’ve started to work on another housing project for individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities near Florissant.
Olivia: Every day is different because I’m exposed to such a wide variety of projects. I’ve primarily worked on the Nine PBS headquarters renovation, where I helped develop part of the layout for the building’s exterior perforated panels. A big part of that work has been finding ways to reuse as many of the existing panels as possible, preserving the building’s character while creating a cohesive design for the renovation.
Q: What’s something valuable you’ve learned so far?
Lillie: I’ve always hoped to build a career centered on community-focused projects and public spaces, so gaining experience working alongside nonprofits and community partners has been incredibly useful. I’ve learned how architects bring together diverse stakeholders to move complex projects forward and create spaces that make a meaningful impact.
Olivia: I came into this internship with classroom knowledge of adaptive reuse and historic preservation, but I hadn’t experienced what those projects look like in practice. One of my biggest goals was to learn how architects adapt existing buildings for new uses while preserving what makes them unique, and I’ve been able to see that process firsthand.
Q: How will your experience at Trivers help advance your career?
Lillie: This fellowship has reinforced that community-engaged design is the kind of work I want to pursue. Seeing that work put into practice at Trivers and having the opportunity to contribute to it firsthand has been a truly unique experience. I’ll leave this summer with a much deeper understanding of how community-centered projects come together and confidence that this is the path I want to follow.
Olivia: This internship has given me hands-on experience with adaptive reuse and historic preservation, confirming that this is the type of work I want to do. It has strengthened my skills, expanded my perspective and given me experience that’s difficult to find at many firms. I’ll carry that knowledge with me as I continue building my career.
Trivers is currently evaluating applicants for internship opportunities in both architecture and interiors for fall 2026 and spring 2027. Learn more and apply here.
