“I was one of those fortunate people who always knew exactly what I wanted to do after high school,” says Teulo Digital Content Administrator, Lily Watts. “I recently completed my Bachelor of Architecture, which has been my passion for as long as I can remember.”

While undertaking her studies, Lily joined Teulo part-time “I was looking for a part-time role that would complement my studies, so when I heard about an opportunity at Teulo, I jumped at the chance to work with Janelle, (Teulo founder) and her fantastic team.

“It started with a few odd jobs, but I quickly got a lot more responsibility. Now, I help spread the word about Teulo’s live events through various online channels; I also help deliver events on the day and then engage with the NZRAB to ensure the participants' CPD points are allocated correctly. Working for Teulo during my Bachelor of Architecture has been hugely beneficial to my learning over the last 3 years.”

Lily’s passion for design was sparked early in childhood, she says, by a renovation of her family home in Auckland. “I was about 9 at the time and I remember seeing our new house being built from the ground up. It was so cool. I would wake up every day and go see what the builders were doing. I remember my dad showing me the renovation plans and him being so impressed when I could point out all the different elements, even though I’d never seen an architectural plan before.”

She recalls seeing the renovated space evolve from “four walls to a complete home that you could live in,” and credits this experience with her focus now on interiors. “In the first year of uni, they give you a taste of all fields of architecture and I remember trying and loving them all. In second year, I majored in the interior architecture programme and my interest really bloomed. I began to realise how important these spaces are; this is where people spend most of their time.” Lily has since experimented with a lot of interior designs, finding a particular interest in retro-modern style. “There’s a great challenge in making the old new again in spaces that are livable and functional.”

Teulo has provided an opportunity for Lily to expand her network and feed her design passion, she says. “I’m on the chat for Teulo’s live events, meaning that I receive questions and feedback from participants and pass those along to the MC. The part I play feels small in comparison to the rest of the team, but it’s so inspiring and helpful for me to have that foot into the industry and to see some of the fascinating things people are doing. It is an incredible platform that’s so easily accessible for an industry that is increasingly connecting online. Janelle is so clever; Teulo really is the perfect idea at the perfect time.”

Teulo event topics that have piqued Lily’s interest, in particular, include sustainable architecture and emerging technologies. “I’m always very interested in the sustainability side of things. Learning about the ways that the industry is mitigating climate change, and the alternative routes and materials they’re using is really interesting. I’m also really interested in AI and learning how it can positively contribute to our built environment. I enjoy hearing opposing opinions on these emerging technologies and learning what the best in their fields have to say.”

Looking ahead, Lily is excited to commence her journey as an architect and hopes to find a role within a creative practice where she can bring energy and enthusiasm while developing skills and pushing her boundaries of knowledge.

If you're a practice looking for a passionate, recently graduated architect with three years of industry experience to join your team and would like to connect with Lily, follow her on LinkedIn and view her portfolio here or email her at lily@teulo.co.