A Day in London With SOM's Julia Skeete

Julia Skeete is an Architect and Associate Director at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in London. She has worked with SOM San Francisco and London since 1999, with a portfolio of projects that spans Ireland, Belgium, Poland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Throughout her career, Julia has worked across roles in design, technical architecture, project management, and business development. She is an active member of SOM’s Women’s Initiative and SOM NOMA group. In 2008, Julia was named to the AJ100 Women in Architecture list. She is currently leading management of the SOM-designed expansion and renovation of the United Nations campus in Geneva.

Julia’s day involves working with the UN (remotely) in Geneva, a workspace next to a garden, and preparing for an upcoming RIBA pecha-kucha event.

5:00am: I’m an early riser, and ever since having kids, I have kept the same schedule to try and get ahead of the day. This gives me time with my husband (who runs his own architectural practice) to talk about the day ahead. We rarely discuss work, although we met 25 years ago on a postgraduate architecture course at University of East London.

Julia in Geneva with colleagues, on International Women’s Day

5:30am: On a typical Monday, I would be in a taxi on my way to Heathrow airport. Since lockdown began, my last trip was to Switzerland for International Women’s Day, where I’m a part of a woman-led team on a project with the United Nations (more on that later). Being at home gives me more time to cook, something I love to do, and West Indian food takes loads of preparation.

6:30am: My kids (16 and 11 years old) wake up to music and the smell of home-cooked food. When I was young, I woke to the smell of coffee from my father’s percolator. Some things never change.

Through quarantine, my kids have been able to continue their studies at home, and in a limited way, in-person at their schools. Their routines were both changed: my daughter’s studies in the arts have continued, but my son’s final exams were cancelled, so he has focused on music and football. Keeping them motivated and self-assured in such extraordinary times has been a feat.

7:00am: Breakfast with the kids!

7:30am: My son is practicing piano in the background as I start my first call with the U.N. in Geneva. I’m managing their campus expansion and building redesign—the first major new building project in their history. Our client and team are based in Switzerland, so regular meetings have been crucial in keeping our multinational team connected across time zones and team members speaking English, French, and German. It truly is a United Nations approach.

8:10am: When my daughter goes to school in-person, I drop her off at a drive through (no parents are allowed onsite). Next to drop my son at football training, but first some time challenging him on his jazz piano progress. I’ve promised him we will duet one day.

9:00am: Without a train commute, I’m at my dining room table, ready for the day. I’m fortunate to sit near the garden—I have a direct and sunny connection to nature—I often have sunglasses on my head during calls!

I have a call with our contractor to discuss the renovation of the Palais des Nations at the UN. Fifteen of us are on, and passions are running high as we navigate design changes amid COVID-19.

9:30am: Once a week, our London-based management team meets to discuss business development—I’m tracking a few key civic/government pursuits in Europe.

10:30am: Check-ins with my teams. Working with the UN, I have two teams: one team based in Geneva, and a second London-based team, each with its own deadlines and needs.

11:30am: I’m scheduled next on a new bid proposal call, coordinating the sustainability approach, so I’m taking a deep dive into circular design—sustainability requirements are high for all new SOM projects.

12:00pm I have a lunch call with two working mums from my daughter’s school, leaders at Credit Suisse and Google respectively, to finalize a presentation we’re making to the school’s governors to address Black representation at London’s private primary schools. We’re proposing that a bursary program be established to increase access for Black applications, additional equity-focused training offered to teachers, and additional resources provided to parents to support their child’s learning.

1:00pm: Now for a United Nations-led session on risk and cost where I offer thoughts from the design team’s perspective. The project is primarily funded publicly, so we’re all charged to stay on budget.

2:00pm: Late lunch. I’m a foodie so taste is everything—I reminisce about the pop-up market in Shoreditch, just a few minutes from SOM’s London office. A superb distant dream!

2:30pm: A call to one of my clients about a project on hold leads to us discussing market conditions for the relaunch, as they gauge demand for the mixed-use scheme as residential and hospitality sectors shift. Our discussion leads onto football (American soccer), as my alma mater, the University of Liverpool, has just won the Premier League. Although he’s a Manchester United fan—arch rivals—we’re both celebrating, although I promise not to mention it again or I’ll be kicked off the team! Football divisions run deep.

3:30pm: This hour is usually reserved for catching up on emails and connecting with colleagues. I miss the office and engaging with our inspiring creatives. I now work on Slack, Whatsapp and other platforms all day—I’ve become a texting aficionado.

4:00pm: Somewhere in this hour, my Mum radar—which my Dad says never goes away—tells me that my children have finished school. On the way, I take a call in the car with a cost consultant.

Time for my daughter’s Zoom dance class. I’m secretly praying it’s not tap today—I’m not yet adept at scheduling meetings around the dancing happening in my house. It’s Monday, so ballet, phew!

4:30pm: Racial justice is at the forefront of conversations at SOM and our industry right now. As I write this, SOM and our National Organization of Minority architects members are drafting a ‘Call to Action’ letter (since published here) which I’ll present in an upcoming London studio meeting. We’re working closely with our global leaders to help create an awareness of the issues and take action (read the action plan here). My personal focus is to bring a better understanding of the issues to my colleagues, develop a sustainable approach to build on, and concretely increase minority representation in design.

5:30pm: By this time, I am getting through emails and looking ahead for the week. I’m also preparing to speak at an upcoming RIBA event, where I’m hosting a Pecha Kucha-style talk on ‘How to Talk to Your Client,’ with a focus on ways of working and other necessary skills.

6:30pm: Instead of an evening commute when I’d read or listen to music, at home I’ve been rereading my son’s high school books so I’m more familiar. I head to our home gym—I need to decompress before having dinner with my family and catching up on the day’s news.

7:45pm: The day isn’t over: I’m a trustee and board member at my local church and we have a virtual meeting tonight. I volunteer by managing the properties the Diocese owns in my area. I’m a vocal member and tonight I proposed pooling resources with nearby communities to assist other less well-off areas.

By now I’m often multitasking—helping my daughter with a model she’s building and a painting she’s finishing for school. I’m managing to stay on top of all three tasks, but fortunately my husband takes over.

10:30pm: I’m known to get back to work and put another hour in. I may have not gotten everything done today but I keep a positive outlook—there are lots of things to accomplish and all will be beneficial in time.