Leonardo Lamanuzzi is BIM Specialist at PTW Architects. After receiving his degree in Architecture in Italy, he spent time working in Spain and Germany.
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1) To kick things off, could you tell us a little about your career background and current role?
Yes! I first studied Fine Arts and then I got a degree in Architecture at Polytechnic of Bari in
Italy. Then I built my experience working between Spain and Germany before moving to
Australia five years ago.
At the moment I work as a BIM specialist at PTW Architects in Sydney.
BIM (Building Information Modeling) is an intelligent 3D model-based process that gives tools to design and plan the building construction efficiently. I am making sure to create a collaborative, efficient, and effective workplace for the team. I also focus on how to transform design sketches into real architecture.
2) What does a day in the life look like for you? Can you take us through a recent workday?
Well, in the last four months my day life looks more or less like this.
I set two alarms to wake up at 7am and start my morning routine. 15 min of meditation, reading a book with a cup of tea, cold shower, quick breakfast with yogurt and granola, and 15 min walk to see the beauty of the ocean with my girlfriend.
Back home, I set up my workstation in the living room and around 9am I start my workday. Normally, I schedule one hour break for lunch including a 15 min walk around 1pm and another quick one later for the coffee.
Then the second half is flexible depending on the deadlines but usually ends at 6 – 6.30pm.
An hour or two to work on my own side-work or chill out with my girlfriend or with friends before cooking dinner at home or eating out. Netflix and a book to fall asleep.
3) Does your current role allow for flexible or remote working? If so, how does that fit into your
life and routine?
Before the pandemic, architecture firms, in general, never considered seriously about remote
working, due to an old concept of organizing the studio. The architects were not keen about this new paradigm.
Now, we have had to adapt and it is working great. For the past two years, I’ve always thought about smart working, and, honestly, I like it. It saves time, money and allows you to work from anywhere, not only from home.
4) What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you work to achieve that goal?
I think it is critical. We have been told that if we want to succeed we have to work hard and sacrifice something in our life such as family, health or friends, otherwise we won’t be successful.
I do not agree with this. I believe it is a matter of balance and I always challenge myself to find the right one that works for my life. Family is the smallest community which you belong to.
Health is essential to function properly. Friends are the closest people to get support. And work ennobles man. All the four components are necessary to make sure that everything works in harmony. I’ve never seen a good functional table with only three legs.
5) In the past 12 months, have you started or stopped any routines or habits to change your life?
Yes. I started reading as soon as I woke up. I dedicate my spare time to studying a random
topic I like every month. And I send everyday a short voice message to both my sister and
brother on random things. I stopped reading news about world catastrophes. Especially if I
cannot take any action.
6) Do you have any favourite books, podcasts or newsletters that you’d like to recommend?
I’d like to recommend my last read called Super Thinking by Gabriel Weinberg and Lauren
McCann. It is a book about human bias and mental models.
I recently started listening to podcasts when I do my workout instead of music. This is another habit I forgot to mention before, but I don’t have a favorite one yet.
7) Are there any products, gadgets or apps that you can’t live without?
In my life I have never had any attachment to any material things. Yet I can’t live without a pen and a notebook to sketch my ideas or write my thoughts.
8) If you could read an interview about work-life balance by anyone, who would that be?
As a good listener I am fascinated by great speakers. That’s why I’d say Bjarke Ingels, a danish architect that is inspiring so many with his hedonistic sustainability vision.
I truly believe he changed the old concept of the architect/philosopher in a more pragmatic role. I wouldn’t mind working in his studio one day.
9) Do you have any last thoughts on work, life or balance that you’d like to share with our
readers?
We all have a great chance to enjoy our lives with consciousness, also creating value for other
people’s lives. If you are not doing it and you’d like, you have the power to start right now, anytime.
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