A Day in the Life of… Emily Zaman
Whenever we can, we like to create opportunities for talented architecture students to gain meaningful experience of life in practice. Each year, we welcome an intern into the LA London team and make a conscious effort to expose them to as much of the profession as possible – from design and technical work to meetings, site visits, collaboration with consultants and the day-to-day workings of a busy architectural practice.
This year, we’ve loved having Emily Zaman with us. She has thrown herself into practice life with enthusiasm and curiosity, becoming a valued part of the team along the way. Emily graduated from the University of Hertfordshire in 2024 with a First Class Honours in Architecture, and her course included a study year abroad at Stony Brook University in New York.
As her time with us draws to a close, we asked Emily to share a typical day at LA London – and some of the things she has experienced and learned during her internship.
My morning routine
Mondays are my favourite day of the week. I wake up at 6:30am and get ready for work straight away. My favourite breakfast is a warm croissant while I get ready.
I take one train to London from Hertfordshire. I enjoy the ride as the scenery gradually transitions from fields of grass to tall city towers. The days I fall asleep on the train are the days that I let myself have (a quarter of) an energy drink at the office, as I really don’t like the taste of coffee. Luckily, I’ve never missed my stop at London Bridge!
I like to start my work day with one of my five-a-days. The office has a fruit bowl for all us colleagues to share, so when I get to the office after putting my bag at my desk, I like to make my way to the kitchen area and grab some fruit.
First things first
When I sit down at my desk, I check my calendar first. The organisation and colour co-ordination gets me excited about the day ahead. It also tells me what everyone is up to and when is the best time to talk to them. When I pick up phone calls, I already know who’s in the office, who’s working from home, who’s on site and who’s on holiday.
I then look at my emails to see if there are any matters to prioritise before starting work on the projects that are most urgent at the time.
DTM meetings
Every Wednesday I join a Design Team Meeting (DTM) about our project in St. John’s Wood, a new-build townhouse for a private client. These meetings can last up to two hours, and include architects, interior designers, the client representative, project managers and the quantity surveyor.
This is where we discuss weekly updates about how the project is progressing and it keeps me updated on what my next task will be once I’ve caught up with LA London’s design team.
Learning new skills
“As a student currently doing my Part 2 Masters in Architecture, a lot of the CPD information and companies are new to me, so it’s very helpful. I really enjoy learning new things..”
I have mainly been using ArchiCAD and Photoshop during my time as an intern, because I’ve been mainly working on RIBA Stages 4-5 where detailing and rendered options are needed for the design team and clients.
Although I’m very familiar with the software the practice uses, I’m still always learning new shortcuts and updates about it, which makes working easier. Once a week, during lunch, we also have CPDs, where external consultants come to the office and present new information. As I’m still a student currently doing my Part 2 Masters in Architecture, a lot of the information and companies are new to me, so it’s very helpful. I really enjoy learning new things.
I have recently learnt Adobe Premier Pro for editing videos, and was tasked with updating the LA London website video with new footage and making the LA London Breakfast Club video montage. I can proudly say I’ve learnt a new skill during my time as an intern.
Time for lunch…
For lunch I like to sit in the pods outside the main office building in the LA Shed, as I can watch anime out loud without disturbing anyone. I have been watching One Piece since the start of my internship and am really enjoying it.
I prefer bringing home-cooked meals rather than buying meals outside. I’ve only ever been tempted once to buy food around London Bridge – from the restaurant DanDan. I walk past it every day to and from work. Pan-Asian food is my favourite type of cuisine so if I don’t bring food from home that’s where you’ll find me.
On site
This internship, my main project has been to help out on the St. John’s Wood project. The site visits have been very enjoyable as I get to see what I’ve helped draw up come to life. Seeing the interior designers’ ideas come to life has also been fascinating – like the detailed cornices and how they join the corners so precisely, and watching bathroom samples being built into the rooms.
What I love about working here
The site visits are my favourite as I get to see what the team and I have been working on come to life. I also like working with external consultants because I get to ask them questions about their profession and how they got to their position. This really inspires me to carry on working hard so that I, too, can progress up the career ladder.
Working in a bigger practice means I get exposed to more projects at different stages. Sometimes I’m Photoshopping interior elevations and other times I’m detailing the fire strategy around a beam in a staircase. Everyday is different as an intern, which is what I most enjoy.
Outside of work…
If my dad’s not busy, I like to go clay pigeon shooting with him on Saturdays. I really enjoy spending time doing things we both enjoy. Though the rifles are still a little heavy for me, it doesn’t stop me.
I also like to hang out with friends at least twice a week on weekdays. Seeing them helps me to have a good work-life balance, which LA London is also very good at promoting. Mostly we watch a new movie or TV series together. I’m currently watching The Upside with Kevin Hart in it, but my favourite comfort show is Modern Family.