About Me
Alma Mater: University of California, Berkely, Bachelor of Arts - ArchitectureColombia University, Master of Architecture
Hobbies: I love travelling to many different cities to explore their unique culture. Each city conveys its own value through planning, building and people. I recently traveled to Vancouver, and it gives me a feeling of sustainable and disciplined. Trip planning is also a fun part to figure out the best dates and flights.
Career Q&A
-
I chose to pursue a career as an Architect because…
Architects get the opportunity to design one of the necessities of life – shelter. Creating a safe and comfortable space involves a combination of creativity and engineering, which is a challenging process I really enjoy. I feel accomplished every time after a design is resolved to a point that is both functional and aesthetic.
-
The thing I love most about my job is…
Having a supervisor who is always willing to be my advocate. David Lee is always happy to share my accomplishments to the office and give me opportunities to design many awesome projects.
-
My favorite thing about TranSystems is…
Working with different engineers in-house. Since we are an integrated firm, I usually work with Structural and Civil engineers to design site and buildings together. I also enjoy doing a variety of tasks not limited to drafting, such as project management and construction administration.
-
Since joining TranSystems…
I have grown from a designer with zero professional experience to a competent architect who can handle a variety of tasks. I earned my architect license after two years at TranSystems.
My Day
7:30 AM – Get Ready for the Day
I usually skim-through all the unread emails while eating a light breakfast. Fortunately, I live two subway stops away from the Berkeley office, so my commute is only 15 minutes door to door.
8:30 AM – Reply to Emails
Typically, I start work at 8:30 a.m. Since I have a few projects on the east coast, my inbox is usually full due to the time zone difference. My priority is to respond to all the emails before noon, and it takes me around an hour to process all emails. Most of the emails are construction related, such as questions and submittals from contractors.
10:00 AM – Design Meetings
Design meetings go over current design status and design options with owners and gather their input.
11:00 AM – Construction Meetings
Construction meetings are among the owner-architect-contractor, and we discuss the construction progress and any potential issues in the field.
Noon – Short Lunch Break
I usually bring my own lunch; it can be some Chinese food or a home-made sandwich. I eat my lunch at my desk and keep it within 30 mins. I watch a few videos and check my Instagram while eating lunch.
12:30 PM – Construction Management Tasks
I use this time to respond to questions of the day from Contractors and coordinate internally to resolve any issues in the field brought up during the Construction Meeting held earlier in the day. I am the construction administrator for six project sites right now, so I am the point person processing all owner and contractor questions to the design team. Questions can be a material substitution request, clarification of contract documents, provide missing information, request to modify existing layout, etc. All these questions need to be answered timely because construction is an ongoing process. Maintaining good communication with the owner and contractor significantly reduces coordination errors and construction delays.
2:00 PM – Check in with AIA Knowledge Committee
I am part of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). This year I am serving as the Architect Chair of the Bay Area Young Architect under AIA San Francisco. The goal for this knowledge committee is to connect emerging professionals and provide licensure support.
3:00 PM – Quiet Work Time
I am part of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). This year I am serving as the Architect Chair of the Bay Area Young Architect under AIA San Francisco. The goal for this knowledge committee is to connect emerging professionals and provide licensure support.
5:00 PM – End of the Day
I shut-down my work laptop between 5 and 5:30 p.m. I usually decompress on my commute home or doing some room organizing once home. I try to avoid using screens after work, so I usually have a walk after dinner.
