Day in the Life: Designer
Janell Leung and Defne Kansu at Carnegie Fabrics during the 2018 Be Original Americas Fellowship
Get a glimpse into our 2018 fellow Janell Leung’s Day in the Life. Now a designer in San Francisco at Fougeron Architecture, Janell shares her experience transitioning from school to work and balancing her responsibilities.
Name: Janell Leung
City: San Francisco
Job title: Designer
Company: Fougeron Architecture
What does your job title mean?
I am a designer at the architecture firm headed by Anne Fougeron. A lot of our work revolves around creating or renovating housing at a variety of scales. Because the firm is on the smaller side, we all have to wear multiple hats, so my responsibilities can range from maintaining the office to documenting design decisions.
What does your morning look like?
I’m out the door by 7:30am. My commute consists of carpooling to the train station, taking the train into the city, and then catching a bus to get to the office, during which I try to get some reading in. Once I get to work, my days start at 9am with a cup of earl grey while I check my emails and prepare my tasks for the day.
After lunch, what are you working on?
I usually try to use lunch as a little break when I'm at a good stopping point in my work, so after lunch, I'll just pick up where I left off. But, the work itself changes day to day. Some days it could be cutting foam models to show the general mass of a building. Other days could include illustrating diagrams to represent each aspect of the design. And on other days, I might be compiling references to accurately draw the site and its surroundings.
Janell Leung at the Carl Hansen & Søn Flagship Store
How does your workday end?
Before the end of the day, I try to finish what I'm currently working on if possible and run it by my supervisor. I make any changes necessary and usually end my day a little after 6pm. On occasion, I have had to work late to meet a pressing deadline or have materials prepared for a presentation the following day. Before I head out, I prepare all for the next day.
What do you do after work?
Once or twice a week, I'll try to schedule dinner with a friend or two so we can catch up. San Francisco has a huge variety of places to eat and there's always something new opening around the corner. Afterwards, I'll commute home and spend some time tidying up or preparing lunch for the following day. I wrap up my night with a shower and an episode of Netflix or some reading in bed before calling it a night around 11pm.
What do you know now that you wish you knew in school?
One of the biggest surprises was the difference between working at a larger firm, like where I had done previous summer internships, and a smaller firm, like where I am now. The difference in size can impact the office culture and responsibilities, but it can be difficult to know your preference without spending a little time in both.
Is there anything else about your job you’d like people to know?
Right now, there are a lot of efforts to build more sustainably. And while the flashy solutions with the newest smart technology get the most attention and praise, sustainability can also be achieved by retaining as much of the existing building as possible. The idea of adaptive reuse shouldn't be limited to buildings marked as historic.