Julia Gamolina. Photo by Sylvie Rosokoff.

When Archinect first met Julia Gamolina, we looked at her unique journey and how she navigated the complexities of professional practice early in her career. Julia graduated with a degree in architecture from Cornell University and kickstarted her path as an enthusiastic young designer. But soon, she realized the traditional path in architecture failed to capture her robust passions and interests. Ever since she was a young girl, Julia has had a wide range of interests and inclinations and, for her, architecture has served as the vehicle to fulfill those inherent characteristics.

Today, Julia continues to nourish one of the most potent platforms advocating for and celebrating women in architecture, Madame Architect, which she founded back in 2018. She has climbed the professional ladder, now sitting as Director of Strategy at the ever-growing Trahan Architects. I recently reconnected with Julia to discuss her career, expertise in communications, thoughts on women in architecture, and some of the powerful lessons she's learned on her multi-dimensional journey.

What do you love most about architecture?

Architecture is like a photograph of society: it represents a country’s, or a village’s, or a brand’s beliefs, visions, aspirations, and identity, locked in a moment in time, that is, ideally, visceral, sublime in scale, and deeply moving. It’s not always a good representation, something we are now unfortunately facing, but it really does reflect what goes on, in terms of technology, government, power, family life, etc. That has always been fascinating to me — in high school, for a history research paper, I wrote about Stalin’s architecture program — what he decided to demolish mattered just as much as what he decided to build, but how much he paid attention to the built environment in being a catalyst for his regime really opened my eyes to how much is communicated through the built world. It’s overwhelming but also empowering. 

You’ve published over 100 interviews on Madame Architect. What would you say are the biggest lessons you’ve learned along the way?

Three things have been consistent in what people say in their interviews. The first is that while we all may be women, we are, first and foremost, architects and experts in our chosen focuses. We are experts in design, in strategy, in technology, in building code, in finance, in law — and our gender does not take away from that. It certainly gives us a unique perspective, one that the world could use more of, but it does in no way influence our ability to be effective, to use excellent judgement, to be efficient, and to give our all — time, energy, resources, etc. That is what everyone I’ve interviewed would like to be known for — being best in class in their chosen area of focus.

...while we all may be women, we are, first and foremost, architects and experts in our chosen focuses...and our gender does not take away from that.

The second is that so many architects have talked to me about how they wish they had gotten better business training — they feel like there are so many aspects to being an architect that they haven’t had exposure to. I talked about this with Iben Falconer, who is also in strategy, in her interview. We looked at how an architect’s education is already so incredibly full, and how we could possibly fit in more. This is something I am looking to solve, or just help to begin. I am working on the Madame Architect editorial plan to reflect this. 

The final is that I am shocked, in looking back at all of the interviews, at how many women who are mothers tell me that they started their own firm when they had their first child. This just goes to show how rigid and male-dominated professional practice has been. I just interviewed Diana Budds, and she put it so well: the industry is ingrained in so much hierarchy and tradition, so I think that in the past, many women have found it easier to be on their own than as part of a collective, in order to have a family, or to do whatever it is they’d like to do with their lives in addition to being an architect. I think things are changing now, and firms are waking up to the fact that they need to provide flexibility, not just for women but for men as well, and not just for parents but for people in general to live a full life — and our generation, one that is active and sharing on social media, and speaking out through those channels, are saying things in masses that current and up-and-coming leaders can’t ignore. I’m excited for my peers, and Gen Z, to shake things up.

I think things are changing now, and firms are waking up to the fact that they need to provide flexibility, not just for women but for men as well, and not just for parents but for people in general to live a full life.

Are there any interviews that really stood out for you?

At the moment, the following stand out: my conversation with Jean Brownhill, the founder and CEO of Sweeten. She is so crazy smart, no-nonsense, genuine, and she dreams so big, I found myself hanging on her every word. She is an amazing example of how one can propel their experiences and skills with architecture into the realm of business. The way Jessica Helfand has talked about cultivating oneself as a creative was also been very moving and I return to that interview often. Having a true English breakfast — porridge and all! — with Farshid Moussavi in London was a highlight. She has been incredibly adaptable through a lot of change and has maintained her relevancy and design sophistication through it all. Margaret Jankowsky, a landscape architect, talked about a lot of things that those of us who were entering the profession during the recession experience, and I loved that the advice that she wanted to give was for gatekeepers. Finally, Sheela Sogaard of BIG is an amazing perspective to have on the site. She talks about evolving a firm to be financially healthy by starting a “culture of getting paid.” It’s insane that architects are still trying to figure out how to get paid, but she’s setting the tone for that kind of business prowess for all of us. 

Oh! Congrats on your new role at Trahan Architects! You are Director of Strategy. Could you talk a little bit about how that came to be and your role on the team?

Thank you! Absolutely. When Trey Trahan approached me, Trahan Architects was an established firm, rooted in New Orleans and creating sublime, thoughtful, and sensitive work. Trey was interested in taking the company to the next level, which meant building a greater presence in New York City, the Northeast in general, and then eventually beyond. There was already a small office in New York in place, as well as in Chicago, but Trey really wanted a more robust operation here, and certainly more work here. He really loved the idea of bringing some of this warm, southern spirit here. 

Since I had focused on the exposure and development trifecta — marketing, communications, and business development — in previous positions, as well as having a background in design, I both had the in-house expertise in these areas, as well as a pulse on what was happening in NYC in terms of planned work for various sectors. All of this experience combined turned into a strategy position. We had conversations about what this would entail, about what we could do, and I decided to come on board. 

My role on the team is multifaceted but primarily focused on spreading the word about us, bringing in new work, and figuring out how we present ourselves in that process. The idea is to grow the company in every sense of the word: to find talented people that share our values to join our team, to win new work, to win specific kinds of work, to increase our geographic footprint, and to eventually extend beyond architecture by capitalizing on some of Trey’s involvement in the art, philanthropic, and conservation worlds. It’s an exciting new challenge that brings a lot of different areas of interest together. 

What things are you looking forward to in this new position?

I’m looking forward to so much, especially since last year we were ranked the number one design firm in the United States by ARCHITECT Magazine, which is an amazing thing to springboard from and build on. We’re really a start-up in New York, with a lot of energy, but with a really strong foundation in New Orleans, and that mix of fresh energy and strong roots opens up a lot of opportunities.

We are being really introspective and intentional about our next steps: who we bring in to work with us, how we talk about ourselves, what we attend, what we submit for, who we are online, for example. I’m looking forward to more of the country knowing about this warm and soulful firm, and the people that make it so, and forming new partnerships to put things out into the world that are kind, sensitive, and thoughtful. 

What do you think contributes to effective communication for firms seeking new business?

Being really sincere and genuine about who you are and what you’d like to do, and not forcing a certain reputation or image. I sometimes hear about others, both people and firms, talk about how they’d like to be, and who they’d like to be like, but you should always aim to be the best version of yourself — as a brand, as a business, and as a person. It requires a lot of honest reflection and fearlessness, but the results are worth it. 

In my work with Madame Architect, I listen, listen, and listen, and that has been an invaluable muscle to exercise in building a business, and especially in building company culture.

I also see a lot of people looking to sell and impress. I believe instead that one should look to learn, share, connect, and solve. There’s a difference between going, “Look at me,” and between going, “This is what I do, this is what I believe.” In my work with Madame Architect, I listen, listen, and listen, and that has been an invaluable muscle to exercise in building a business, and especially in building company culture. In seeking new business, you must seek ways you can help, identify problems you can solve, and gaps you can fill, and you won’t know what those are if what you do is talk about yourself. 

What are some mistakes firms make when pursuing new work?

Similar to the positives of seeking new business, people tend to seek to impress instead of looking to listen and help. I also see a tendency to pursue things for the sake of pursuing things. I advocate for quality over quantity. In some ways, yes, the more you apply for, the more you may get, but I think the more you apply for what you are well-positioned for, and the more you connect with people and companies with whom you are really aligned and see the world in a way that is similar that’s when you see real results and real success. Doing that requires a lot more research, thoughtfulness, and conversations, but it’s much better to go after less and have it be the right fit from the start, then to go after everything and waste time and resources with a lower success rate. 

Another one is thinking you can do it all — which architects tend to do in business as well, ha! Claire Weisz talks about this in her interview, where she says if you give something away, it will always come back to you. She was talking about it in terms of giving away some of WXY’s scope on a potential project to a landscape architect. Looking to share and partner is a great way to expand your reach, and it’s a win win for both parties, ideally. No one does anything alone, and that applies to brands and businesses just as much as people.  

How much do you think your work on Madame Architect contributed to this move?

I think that in addition to my experiences with how various firms approached design, communications, and business development, what my work with Madame Architect signaled to Trey and to the team here is that I also have learned how to build something from scratch, and to build a presence for it. With Madame Architect, on top of just simply doing the editorial work, which is hugely consuming and which I have help with now, I’ve had to think of and articulate the mission and voice of the platform, build the website and cultivate the brand identity, spread the word, build a following, present our mission and vision in lectures to various audiences, as well as cultivate, manage, and continue an editorial strategy, conduct, edit, upload, and publish these interviews, learn how to work and coordinate with over 100 different people, find, train, and encourage a team, and on top of all this, put out interview after interview, every week, and nowadays, even more. When Trey and I first met, there was so much understanding and alignment there, simply from founder to founder, that the lessons learned and expertise acquired in making Madame Architect what it is today, are lessons and expertise that contribute to getting a start-up off of the ground. 

What is your vision for Madame Architect?

The vision continues to be what it has always been: to share these incredibly unique stories in order to demonstrate that a meaningful, exciting, fun, and healthy career in this field is possible, and possible for women. Also to raise the profile of architects in general, and certainly the architects who are women. I feel like when you flip through other magazines, ones that focus on business or culture, you hardly see architects featured, which is a huge shame since they’re some of the most complex, fascinating, and successful professionals. Finally, the vision continues for us to be a resource for those in the field, at all levels, and also all genders, and we are planning some new content that will further tap into that. A lot planned for 2020 and beyond!

When you first started writing, could you have ever imagined it would grow into what it is today?

There’s nothing I love more than meeting new people and hearing about why they are the way they are and how their life has shaped up.

Not at all. I say this a lot, but in 2015 when I first started to do these interviews sporadically, all I wanted to do was to write more, and to share the amazing advice I was getting from my mentors. Looking back, I think this genuine desire, and the fact that I love every single step of the process in putting out an interview, is what has fueled me to carry on week after week. There’s nothing I love more than meeting new people and hearing about why they are the way they are and how their life has shaped up; I love getting into the weeds of editing and word choice, and planning for the right images to go with the right stories; I love sharing all this and summing up the most poignant and salient points of each story; I love working now with Amy Stone, Caitlin Dashiell, and Gail Kutac who help me transcribe and proofread and interview; and I love responding to our readers. I think Madame Architect growing into what it did is a reflection of the meaning and significance doing the work has for me, and I can’t wait to see where it continues to grow. 

You’ve recently been a part of an innovative initiative in the fashion world, celebrating women’s rights and more specifically, the influence of Rosie the Riveter. Could you tell me a bit about that?

Yes, wasn’t that cool?! I flew out to Los Angeles and was part of an ad campaign for a denim jumpsuit that was inspired by, and includes denim from, the jumpsuits that Rosie the Riveter wore in her day. She symbolizes the masses of women who joined the workforce in male-dominated fields when men were sent to war. To propel this ad campaign, Cotton Inc and The Great selected four “modern day” Rosie’s to be the face of it. It ended up being me, international soccer star Carli Lloyd, the founder of Black Girls Code Kim Bryant, and welder and artist “Barbie the Welder.” I’m really happy that architecture was one of the male-dominated fields that was included in the campaign. Like I mentioned before, architecture is not something that is highlighted often in news and things that reach a wider population, so I’m really happy that it did!

How did you come to be a part of this amazing group of women?

They came to me completely out of the blue, just like Trey did! It’s funny, even though business development is literally my job, I haven’t done much of it for Madame Architect, simply because between conducting, editing, and sharing the interviews — and working, I haven’t had the time to do intentional outreach. 

What has worked though is our consistent sharing of the interviews, week after week, across all social media platforms, and of course the speaking engagements I take a part in, opportunities for which have also come to me on their own. A lot of the following that we’ve built has been very organic word-of-mouth, and that’s how most people hear about us. So it’s cool that things like this have come to me. I guess that’s what happens when you just keep at it and consistently share your work, and work that connects with others. 

What would you say to a young woman pursuing architecture today?

I would tell her that she can absolutely do it, and not only that, but she can do whatever it is that she wants to do in the field, whatever her strengths and interests are. I would also tell her not to focus on any perceived setbacks, like gender, or lack of a financial foundation, or immigration status — I would tell her to just focus on what it is that she wants and loves, and on the people she respects and wants to spend time with, and that this will take her to a place where she’ll thrive. 

Today is International Women’s Day! What are your thoughts on this important holiday, and what does it mean to you?

March 8 is also my grandmother’s birthday, so it has always had that special meaning for me. My thoughts towards this holiday are positive. Women and their contributions should always be celebrated and never overlooked, and I love any chance to celebrate it. However, we shouldn’t only celebrate women and place attention on women then, or in March. I wish that some of the acceleration of focus and activity on and around women’s contributions would keep the momentum beyond March.

Have you faced any challenges because of your gender in your career growth?

Yes, I have, and more and more so as I get further in my career. I think when you’re just starting out, people see you as a young woman and that is what they expect. Once you begin to enter into leadership positions, are making decisions, and are setting the tone, you are no longer this young girl that is learning, or looking to be mentored, and not everyone welcomes that. In the past, people have made comments such as, “Oh, I love that little thing that you did,” or “Wow, look at you, good job,” framing my contributions in a diminutive fashion or acting as though I’ve achieved something out of the ordinary when I’m just doing my job as I should. When I was a junior designer, I would have told you I haven’t experienced any sexism, but as I’ve moved up, I’ve definitely come across it. However, I’ve also met people that are true blue as I’ve moved up and expanded my network, I’ve had some pretty extraordinary bosses, and I’m happy to say that this by far outweighs any negative interactions. 

What did you learn from these difficulties? How did you overcome them?

That my gender has no influence on my expertise, on the time I put into my work, and on the cumulative life experience that I’ve gained through living in different countries, working in different areas of practice, and building something new. I trust my experiences, and always just reference what I know. I try to keep things very simple and just hold my reality, “This is who I am, this is what I’ve done, and this is what I’m here to do.”