• Associate(At that time)

Erika Abe

  • Joined 2011

It’s a job with huge responsibilities, but it helps me to grow

01

I discovered my passion for design and architecture when I was learning about housing infrastructure and social facilities while at university. Once I started working I realized that there was much more to architecture than what I had learned in school; one of the most important I learned was the responsibility that we had to our clients, whether it’s a personal project or for private companies or public sectors. It is our job to respond to the the needs of our clients. It is not an easy task, and in order to succeed it is important to be open-minded and be aware of things that may not be directly related to architecture.

02

The friendly and relaxed atmosphere at our company makes it a pleasant place to work. Since we do not follow the traditional hierarchal system, all members of staff are encouraged to communicate freely, and express one self. All ideas and efforts are appreciated, and we take pride in our open and honest working environment. Design at this company is not a lone process; instead it’s dynamic where staff of all ages and experience, from different background and cultures, contribute and work together towards one goal.

03

If you are currently looking to work here, I recommend you think about the following: what did you enjoy learning in your academic career? When did you receive praise from people? And what are your talents? Working as an architect requires good communication skills as well as knowing the technical aspects of construction and design: it cannot be just one or the other. I personally find great pleasure and fulfillment from my job, and although I still have many things to learn, I look forward the day I become a leader to my own team.

SCHEDULE

A typical day

  • Start

    I start the day by pouring myself a cup of tea while going through emails and checking the tasks I have for the day. On days when we have presentations I arrive earlier to confirm tasks within the team and prepare physical models, boards and any technical equipment needed for the presentation.
  • Design

    This part of the day varies greatly, but often I spend this time designing and making physical models. If we requested any material samples I will try to process them in the morning as well, which helps to keep me productive and organized. If we have presentations later on in the day, I am usually busy preparing printed documents for the meeting.
  • 12:30

    Lunch

    Recently I have been trying to bring my own lunch whenever I have time to prepare the day before, but when we have presentations I usually buy my lunch. Some days, when I’m really busy, I forget to eat and later realize how hungry I am.
  • Designing and Brainstorming

    During the afternoon we usually have meetings with Jun Mitsui, or go on site visits or make design models. We tend to meet clients or visitors during this time, and they often bring small gifts and snacks which get us very excited! We also schedule our presentations to be around this time, so we can prepare in the morning. Part of my job here is to assist the team leader, and organize requests from the client and prepare for the next presentation.
  • 20:00

    End of the day

    I end my day by writing out a tasks list for the following day, and clear up my desk. I try to leave by 8pm, but it can be earlier or later depending on the projects I am working on. On days when we have successful presentations, the team members would go out for dinner together to celebrate, and discuss the next step. I love the feeling of accomplishment I get after presentations; therefore I tend to sleep very well on those days.
SCHEDULE

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