By Shannon Perez, responding to questions shared by CCA leadership
Name / Title / Company / Years in the profession
Shannon M Perez / Senior Designer / USA Architects / 9ish
What gets you up in the morning to go to work? What are you passionate about?
The only thing motivating me still is all the work I have done to get to this point. On days when I just don’t want to get up and go, I think about past me and how mad she would be at current me if I just let it all slip away.
I have always enjoyed optimizing and researching solutions for projects. I am passionate about vernacular design because there is so much to be learned from how these natural, climate-specific solutions for better buildings have evolved over centuries. Also, ever since having my daughter, I have taken a special interest in indoor air quality and “healthy” building as well, so I have done a lot of reading on the WELL Building Standard and Passivhaus. (I did purchase an exam seat for WELL, but I am a working mom, so I accidentally let it lapse.)
Who are you outside of work?
I am a mom of two young kids; my daughter is 4 and my son is 1½. I am also a military spouse, so we are fairly nomadic as a family, having lived in countless apartments/houses over several states. Currently, we’re living in our home state, New Jersey, but anticipating a move to who-knows-where in less than a year.
My kids stopping by to see the inactive job site of the CTE building © Shannon Perez
What advice would you have for your younger self when you first got into doing CCA?
Do all your tests and certifications ASAP! How I wish I studied for the AREs, LEED, WELL, CDT, AICP, etc. prior to having children! If I could give any advice to young professionals, it would be to take all the certification exams you are eligible for right away, fresh out of school, while you still are fresh on building science and are used to studying and taking tests. For young aspiring architects, find a relevant state where you are eligible to start testing for your AREs now (not in 3 years like New Jersey) and take them! Get your reciprocity (or NCARB Certificate) for licensure the states with more stringent licensing requirements later, once you meet them.
Can you think of a time you were disrespected on site? And what do you think could have prevented it?
Yes, of course. The first time I ever was assigned to CA for a project, I was not properly briefed that the GC and many of the subs were Orthodox Jewish Israelis. When I arrived on site, no one would look me in the eye or shake my hand. They turned their backs on me and began the meeting while I stood off to the side trying to hide my watery eyes behind my notepad as I scribbled down what I could. It was only when the engineer arrived (about 20 minutes later) that he told me why no one would look at me or speak to me.
Quickly, the GC and I found an appropriate way to communicate that was respectful of both parties. By the end of the job, he brought his daughter on site to meet me! He told me that he had been unsure about her desire to pursue a career in architecture but that I had caused him to reconsider, and she would be attending a bachelor’s program in the fall. Now nine years later, as fate would have it, I live in that very neighborhood and drive past that house on the way to work each day. I have actually been hoping to run into him, but I haven’t yet.
The new Career and Technical Education (CTE) building under construction at Somerset County Vocational Technical High School by USA Architects © Shannon Perez
What advice do you have for someone looking to start CCA?
You need thick skin and an open mind. You can’t go on site acting like you know best even if you know the drawings inside and out. The contractor controls the means and methods, so you need to respect their perspective before offering yours.
Are there any resources you recommend for other architects looking to learn more about performing CCA?
Experience is everything, but what you lack in jobsite experience, you can make up for with a good mentor. My CA mentor, Tara, has been essential to my professional development.
What does it mean to you to be a woman in CCA?
There are two directions being involved in your own CCA can go. The best scenario is that you protect the integrity of the architectural drawings and exactly what was envisioned gets built. The worst case is that the resulting building, while not exactly as drawn, turns out to be something harmonious and in-keeping with the ideas behind the drawings. To me, CCA is a means to see a design through to the end, the only way to ensure your vision becomes a reality. Architects that don’t take part in CCA have to be willing to sacrifice their design intent and accept the GC and CM’s interpretation of what was drawn. As someone who is not very willing to give up on my design intent, I enjoy being a part of CCA to ensure that all solutions to field problems that arise during construction are in alignment with the vision behind the design.
The CTE building as rendered © USA Architects