A Day in Miami with Yen Studio's Teri Watson

By Julia Gamolina

Teri Watson is an Architectural Designer, owner of YEN Studio and the acting Designer and Project Manager for Royal Byckovas in Miami. FL. As a freelance designer since 2016, she has gained a variety of experience in the design and construction industry. She is also a member of AIA Miami, South Florida NOMA and the founder of The Neighborhood Architects. Her day involves practice questions as part of her ARE prep, trips to the Miami Design District, and a partnership with BAM Miami.

5:30am: The sounds of light rain and birds chirping gradually increases in volume to gently wake me up for the day. I like listening to nature sounds to ensure I am woken with peace since most days are chaotic. The east side of my apartment has floor to ceiling windows, so I am easily awakened by morning. After lying in bed for an additional five minutes, I make my way to the kitchen for some hot water and a lemon. I set up on the floor next to my plants for a quick meditation then begin to write out my days plan while listening to lofi music.

7:00am Immediately after, I take an hour or so to get some practice questions in for my ARE exams. With two exams left on my path to licensure, consistency is key. I use this time to get my mind prepared for a day of critical thinking in a tactical profession. Since each day varies, I try to make sure I dedicate time in the morning for this task. After that’s done, I take thirty minutes to explore Pinterest and read up on a building that catches my attention. I post this building on my Instagram story, along with a song fitting my morning vibe, and prepare for the workday.

9:00am: On this particular day, I attended a weekly OAC meeting for a new Food Hall project I am working on with my position at R&B. I make my way to Doral for an hour to walk the site with the contracting team and owner. As no two days are alike, I get a call which requires me to head down to The Design District to join an unexpected site visit called for a three-story commercial building with my R&B team. I then head to my home office to address any notes, open RFIs and submittals per the meetings. Once that is completed, I check in on my open permits that’s currently running in the city along with task that I need to pick up the next morning when I return to their office. As you can see, I’m a big planner.

12:00pm: As my watch alarm goes off to remind me to take a break and eat, I step away from my computer for lunch. During my days at home twice a week, I use this time to work on projects for YEN Studio. I turn up Rap Life on Apple music and hop into ArchiCAD to begin working on drawings for a new construction two story townhouse on 45th and 30th in Liberty Square. This is typically the highlight of my day. I enjoy my two workdays out of the office to focus on my personal goals and aspirations. It brings a sense of control that keeps me motivated to be able to do projects of my choice. I end this time with answering client emails and scheduling any meetings required in the weeks to come.

4:00pm: Around this time, I begin to transition back into study mode. Any ARE test taker know this is a love hate relationship when it comes to the amount of time dedicated as we approach testing day. My energy for the day has almost expired but I put on my “adulting” hat and zone out as I begin reading Heating, Cooling and Lighting for the next two hours.

6:00pm: Making my way to the kitchen, today I prepare to make some baked fish, quinoa and a salad with vegan cornbread. I catch up on social media while listening to Abraham Hicks in the background for some words of wisdom as I approach my twelfth hour of the day. After finishing dinner, I hop on zoom for my weekly call to discuss The Neighborhood Architects with my partner Rahel Yibrah in Canada. TNA, a network that locates architects, designers and engineers of color in the local neighborhoods, is a passion project I recently launched in January to increase the visibility of minorities in the profession. As we briefly discuss my architecture day and her construction tasks up north, we dive into planning mode. We discuss the upcoming collaborations we have, the donation that will be going out in June to BAM Miami and the expansion into the Canadian network. As a new platform, we meet every week to coordinate the upcoming initiatives that officially kicks off next week.

9:00pm: Finally wrapping, I pack up my project folders and prepare to go in the office the next day. Currently managing four projects with R&B, and typically rushing out of the house the following morning, I’ve learned it’s extremely important I do this a night to ensure I don’t leave anything behind. After triple checking my list, I sit my bag on the stool in my kitchen, water my plants, shower and prepare for bed. Like clockwork my phone always rings around this time. I catch up with family or friends and talk about absolutely everything we can. Living alone in Miami away from those close to me, I appreciate and value this time to relax and laugh. Hanging up the phone, I turn on my Bluetooth speaker in my room, light my candle and fall asleep to sleep music, thinking often of something Jim Carrey said — “The effect you have on others is the most valuable currency there is.”