A Day in the Life... of Architect, Dorothea El-Humidi

Dorothea joined LA London a year ago. We chat to her about a typical day at the firm.

Dorothea is an early riser and if the weather is agreeable, she will enjoy a coffee whilst laying in her hammock in her garden. “It just gives me a short amount of time to organise the day ahead” she explains.

“At the end of every working day I will prepare a priority list for myself to go through the next day, but obviously this order can change if something urgent comes up.”

Dorothea El-Humidi

It's a 25-minute bike ride into the office, “but I did make it in 17 minutes once,” she laughs, and Dorothea is at her desk for 9am checking her emails that come in from collaborators including structural engineers, mechanical engineers, and project managers.

“Normally I start my day by checking my emails and check how work is progressing. In the morning I will often sit down with Andrew (Paulson, Partner) to review drawings, update him on the progress of projects, or assist on a quick speculative concept scheme.”

Concept development is a particularly interesting aspect of Dorothea’s job. “If the client is a developer, we will be looking at what is feasible and find the best-case scenarios for them to achieve a good return on their investment,” she explains. “If the client is the end user, we are defining what they want to achieve with their project, so we put together the ‘client story’, and develop a scheme that meets, if not exceeds, those needs. I will then transfer these concept drawings into a BIM (Building Information Modelling) model and then into technical drawings. This allows us, and of course the client, to see precisely how the concept will work.

“Some clients just leave it to us to develop a concept; others have a clear idea of what they want, but that can mean that in certain areas they may have to compromise. This could be because of local planning restrictions, for example. We develop alternatives and explain the compromise solutions and bring clarity to what can be achieved. Our clients value our insights and our solutions. Clients are very often emotionally involved in their project so our strength as a firm comes in guiding them through the feasible solutions to get as close to their wishes as possible, within any limits that are imposed upon us.”

Dorothea at work

It was growing up in Romania when Dorothea realised that she wanted to be an architect. “I remember playing with Lego when I was younger and having one of those moments where I suddenly realised that I could create a whole universe; I think that concept just appealed to me. To be able to create something new,” she recalls with fondness.

Having studied computer science as part of her degree, Dorothea is able to use that knowledge to bring her designs to life. “The software package that we use for modelling and drawing has a back-end with editable code, so sometimes I like to play with the code to make things move in the way that I want them to. Architecture is becoming increasingly digitalised, with 3D models and Virtual Reality (VR) now commonplace, and clients can view designs interactively on their laptops and even their phones.”

Her background in computer science is also influencing how she works. “I am interested in developing a style of project management called ‘agile thinking’. It first appeared in software development in 2001 and the idea behind it is that it helps a team to maintain focus in an environment that is changing and evolving constantly. The ability to move quickly and easily, and to adapt at speed to any shifts, is something I believe architecture could really benefit from,” she enthuses.

Concept development review with colleagues

Before lunch, Dorothea fits in a Design Team Meeting (DTM) on site. “I love DTMs because it allows us to bring various specialists to the table to work together and find solutions to problems.” Her current client wants their home to be truly sustainable. “This has given me so many issues to attack and areas to coordinate,” she says. “I am loving the challenge! We started by looking at materials and chose ones that were made of recycled materials whilst ensuring that they would last, and then we looked at the mechanical and electrical systems. It is about getting a balance between sustainability, durability, and efficiency.”

Sustainability is Dorothea’s passion, a passion she developed whilst growing up. “I am a self-proclaimed tree-hugger,” she admits laughing. “Growing up I spent a great deal of time in the mountains, hiking and climbing. One of my friends was studying for her masters in building houses made of earth. I helped her and learnt how to make bricks by hand out of locally-sourced materials. I just remember thinking ‘wow we have built a house using just natural materials, this is amazing!’. I am currently taking a number of courses with the support of Andrew so that I can build on my sustainability knowledge.” It is therefore not a surprise that Dorothea is taking on the role of LA’s Sustainability Manager.

On a sunny day, lunch by the Thames in front of the Tate Modern is a firm favourite. “My go-to is salmon salad, every single time! I just can’t make a decision, so I just stay with it,” she derides herself, laughing. “We have fruit in the office, but I like my chocolate, I do try my best to be a healthy human being!”

Lees Associates also run regular Continued Professional Development (CPD) training sessions during the lunch hour. Today’s CPD is being run by a specialist from Millboard, who is talking them through their hand-moulded composite decking solution. “They use a unique fibreglass reinforced resin-mineral composition in their products. I am particularly interested in this session because their product carries the ISO 14064-1 Carbon Footprint Assurance Mark.”

Dorothea’s afternoon is filled with a design coordination meeting. “In that meeting everyone reports on what stage they are at and if there are any issues and what the next steps are,” Dorothea explains. “We often have a brainstorming moment where we look at the drawings and see if there is enough space for things the client is looking to add, we then together work to find wiggle room and to make sure everything is going to work.”

After a busy day in the office Dorothea may find time for her other passion: climbing. But in London, bouldering on artificial rock is about the closest thing she can get to climbing in the wild. “It is not all about muscle, it’s also a head game; you have to allow yourself to be brave. If I get the time at the weekends, I like to go to Portland in Dorset, which is one of my favourite places to climb, and the Peak District.”

Dorothea reaching new heights

Dorothea also volunteers in her local area. “I participate in a free telephone friendship service provided by Age UK called “Friendly Caller”, which gives older people living on their own someone to talk to regularly, to help them with feelings of loneliness. I have just started speaking to a lovely lady once a week. I also help children with their homework through an organisation called Rathbone, here in London, and Magic, from Romania, which facilitates helping children with their homework. I am currently working with a lovely boy who is a little genius. He has been unable to go to school, so he needs a bit of extra help.”

Dorothea is excited about her future at LA London. “Andrew gave me a book to read called ‘The One Thing’ by Keller and Papasan. At first, I thought it was like every other self-help book, but it does give you practical advice; it asks you to reflect on your life and think about what you actually want to do with it. It encourages you to set goals for, five, ten years and so on. My goal, which will take a lot of work and dedication, is to become a sustainability expert and help change the industry through this. This is my big goal, my big ambition,” she concludes.