Through the Lens of Architecture: Architect and YouTuber Dami Lee on Content Creation, Leadership, and Self-Acceptance

Dami Lee is a licensed architect who uses her expertise to introduce architectural concepts to a wider audience through her YouTube channel. In 2022, she ventured into entrepreneurship and founded Nollimedia, a unique fusion of architecture and video production.

Dami's ability to break down complex concepts and engage people on a variety of topics has resonated with her colleagues and viewers, helping build a large viewership of curious minds, while setting her apart in the field. In her interview with Julia Gamolina, Dami talks about discussing a variety of topics through the lens of architecture and building a new kind of company and leading a team, advising those just starting their careers to pay attention to the things that bring you joy.

JG: Tell me about your foundational years — where did you grow up and what did you like to do as a kid?

DL: I grew up in Seoul, South Korea until I was eight. My family moved around a lot, initially moving to San Jose, then to Frankfurt, and finally settling in Vancouver. I was exposed to different cultures but also experienced a fair bit of discomfort from being new. I had a language barrier, so I spent a lot of time drawing, playing music, and doing origami.

That is exactly my story too! I was born and lived in Siberia until I was eight, and then moved to Toronto, and then Colorado. I completely relate. Out of this experience, why architecture and how did you choose where you studied architecture?

I decided to apply to architecture pretty late, so I didn't have a whole lot of options. I did want to try living in a new city, so getting into Ryerson University — now Toronto Metropolitan University — worked out perfectly.

I was unsure about architecture school, I didn't even know too much about architecture, but in my first week of school, I was hooked. Looking back, I'm grateful that I ended up going to Ryerson because it was the perfect balance of theoretical and real-world pragmatism that built the foundation for my career now.

Still from “Are Cyberpunk Citites Closer Than We Think?”

Dami discussing the idea of a labyrinth in Venice.

Tell me about your career prior to founding your own studio and YouTube channel. What were the biggest lessons learned?

My most recent experience was at FaulknerBrowns Architects, where I worked as a project lead on a library renovation project. Before that, I was an architect for an interior and architecture firm called Cutler, before that, a smaller firm, MIZA, and before that, a boutique firm called Gair Williamson. I got licensed as fast as possible, and I also did a lot of freelance work while I was employed.

My biggest lesson was that the best outcomes come from being able to inspire people, not telling them exactly what to do. I worked with some people who were able to get everyone excited about an idea, and it didn't necessarily have to do with their knowledge, but more to do with how they told the story. I saw how this mobilized the team to work deep into big deadlines. I also saw how this can impact clients as well.

I had the privilege of working with people who possessed this unique ability to ignite excitement for a project, even for the smallest projects. This wasn't always coming from their expertise, but had more to do with their communication style. I think many of us who work in this industry are introverts and pragmatists, which is a great trait because that makes us technical and detail-oriented, but I think the ability to energize and inspire people, is a great asset. Ultimately I think my biggest lesson was that communication is a skill I need to continuously try to refine.

“My biggest lesson was that the best outcomes come from being able to inspire people, not telling them exactly what to do.”

— Dami Lee

Now tell me about your YouTube channel! I love it — the content is so fresh, fun, and informative.

I started the YouTube channel mostly as a creative outlet. Initially, it was a niche channel for architects, but over time, it grew to serve a broader audience. Now the channel has grown into a platform where we talk about a wide variety of topics through the lens of architecture. With every video, we dig deep into research, and how we can tell the story from our unique perspective. When we did a collaboration with Cove Tool, talking about embodied carbon, we did twelve different iterations of the script. They were amazing to work with though, and were happy with the first draft. I think after more than 100 videos, we can see things that most people don't, and have a pretty good idea on how to make even the most seemingly boring things pretty engaging.

I think what sets us apart is that we don't just talk about architecture, we actually make architecture as well. We've been sharing the journey of our first architecture project on our channel, and although these are not the best-performing videos, we get the most heartwarming, thoughtful feedback on these. We also learn the most from them because it's a great challenge, trying to get 300K people to sit for fifteen minutes watching a video on architecture, especially talking about ideas that are not widely popular, like haptics. I have found that immersing people into the narrative and experience of the space has been the best, most effective way to illustrate complex architectural concepts.

My favorite comments are the ones from people with no architectural background, saying they'd never really thought about architecture, until watching this video, or that they didn't know that architecture can be so poetic. The YouTube channel is also how our clients reach out to us, and how we've been able to connect with inspiring thought leaders, so there's a great symbiotic relationship between the two sides of the business.

Looking back at it all, what have been the biggest challenges? How did you manage through perceived disappointments or setbacks?

There have been many challenges, but the biggest ones are probably around handling criticism. Coming from architecture, I always thought I was good at separating my emotions from the facts, but having the Youtube channel really put that to the test. First, I should say that 99% of my audience and feedback is incredibly supportive, and I'm super grateful for that. But the occasional negative comments have a way of digging into your psyche. When you have a large platform that evolves around your personal presence, you get unsolicited feedback on not just your work, but on everything that makes “you,” “you.”

For instance, I used to get a lot of negative comments on the way I speak, especially on "vocal fry and uptalk." It infuriated me, and I tried to ignore them because . . . that's just how I speak! But as I started getting more and more of the same comments, I realized there may be some truth in it. What helped was learning to separate my voice from my identity and recognize that my voice is not me. Once I started treating it like any other skill that could be improved with practice, it became easier to handle the feedback and implement solutions. I've done vocal training and I even have a "voice patrol" whenever I'm filming, and I'm objectively a better speaker now than when I started the YouTube channel.

I think many of us get emotional about feedback that threatens a sense of who we are, so it's important to have people around you who have your best interests in mind but also are not afraid of being totally candid with you. Also acknowledging that you always have the choice to ignore or address the criticism is helpful. You want to keep trying to improve and hold yourself to a higher standard but also practice self-acceptance.

What have you also learned in the last six months?

In the last six months, we grew into a four-person team, along with several contractors to help with specific tasks around the business, so I learned a lot about processes and leadership. I've made some expensive hiring mistakes because I was basing my decisions purely on the portfolio and interview. When it came to the work, most of the processes were in my head, and I was expecting people to do things exactly how I would do them, believing it was "obvious." I had to learn to communicate and delegate better, turn my thoughts into processes, and be much more patient with myself and others. I also worked with a business coach to create a fairly tight pre-interview questionnaire, where I can assess a variety of things, including skills, interests, and values. This step was essential because none of the other steps matter unless you have the right people you can trust.

I've also learned to be more open and flexible. At first, I was afraid of making mistakes or wasting resources, so I ended up creating processes that were way too rigorous. I realized this can stifle creativity, and not all work lends itself to systems. I'm learning to let people figure out their own way of doing things, which also means giving them more time and space.

“...not all work lends itself to systems. I’m learning to let people figure out their own way of doing things, which also means giving them more time and space.”

— Dami Lee

What are you most excited about right now?

We're currently consulting for an AAA video game. I didn't realize how much architecture was involved in video games, but there is a lot of research, design, speculation, dissecting everything from architecture to social values, to accurately craft a world that's as believable and immersive as possible. The sheer scale of this production is mind-boggling and intimidating sometimes — with hundreds of people, taking years and years to complete — but we want to leave our mark on this project, and help create a truly unique architectural experience.

I can't wait until it comes out, but right now, I'm just enjoying the process of working with such creative and talented people of diverse backgrounds. A videogame like this has a much wider reach and can be more immersive than a video or even real buildings, so I'm excited to see how it will turn out. It's been inspiring and surprising to see the variety of places an architectural background can take you.

Who are you admiring now and why?

I recently started learning more about leadership, and I have loved reading and listening to Brene Brown. Things like vulnerability and shame are things you're not supposed to touch, in working relationships, but she turns them as a source of strength and connection. It's a much more human approach than what I've thought of as leadership in the past. She practices what she preaches and has discussed her shame openly. It's inspiring to see a public figure be so open and vulnerable, despite the potential backlash. I learned that her and her team — including her family — has a whole system for handling public criticism, which I think gives her more courage to say what she believes.

What is the impact you’d like to have on the world? What is your core mission? And what does success in that look like to you?

The vision statement of our business is, "To make architecture accessible to a broader audience, and inspire them to see the world through a new perspective." Right now, we're mostly focused on YouTube, but we would love to see this on a bigger scale, where we can explore some of these ideas on a deeper level. It could be through higher, documentary-level quality videos, through built or imagined projects, or through collaborations with other creative people. I would love to achieve this with a team that is fun and inspiring, while having a smooth and efficient process.

Finally, what advice do you have for those starting their career? Would your advice be any different for women?

I would say be open to possibilities and try things that bring you joy, even though they might not be the most reasonable or financially viable choice at the moment. I think this advice is harder to take for women. Based on my personal experience, I took much less risks in my career because financial stability was a priority for me. I never tried interning overseas, and I moved home right after graduate school because I wanted to focus on paying back my student loans.

When I reflected on why I seemed to be making safer choices compared to some of my male friends or colleagues, I realized I experienced time differently. I'd never felt this need to have a family, but I guess, even on a subconscious level, I always wanted to leave my options open, which means trying to get to a certain level of stability before a certain time. If I hadn't been met with the poor timing of the pandemic right after quitting my job, I would have gone straight from one job to another. Even though it wasn't a risk I took intentionally, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it gave me time and space to explore my own interests. This will always haunt me. If it hadn’t been for this strange turn of events, I would have never tried making Youtube videos, and would not have the life I have now. So now, I try to be more intentional about leaning into things that interest me.