The time has officially come when New York gets so hot you could literally fry an egg on the pavement—and trust me, it felt like someone was trying to.
This recent heatwave only lasted three days, but oh wow… what a wild three days they were. It was actually kind of amazing to watch the city transform in response. Suddenly, fire hydrants were bursting open for kids (and let’s be honest, adults too) to cool off in the spray. Air conditioners were running at full blast in every building, and it felt like everyone in the city was either sweating or embracing the heat in their own creative ways.
Public pools were packed, iced coffees were practically an accesory, seeing the community come alive like that was strangely heartwarming. There’s something really special about how people in New York adapt to extremes—it’s chaotic, a little crazy, but somehow beautiful.
Work during the heatwave was… let’s say an experience. We had just finished our office renovation, and this was definitely the moment we realized—why didn’t we add a shower?! Even with the AC running, the heat was pretty unbeatable. Still, we managed to make the most of it. There were tons of jokes flying around the office, and we all tried to make the space as comfortable as possible.
One of the best discoveries of the week? A frozen juice stand right next to the office. You better believe we were there every day. Watermelon frozen juice for $5? Say less. Honestly, I would’ve bought five in a row if I could. That place became our go-to oasis.
We also had a couple of birthdays in the office this month, which added some fun distractions—cake, decorations, and surprise celebrations always help take the edge off a heatwave.
On the professional side, I’ve been diving into a new project that’s both exciting and a little nerve-wracking. I’m currently working on an addition to a school in the Bronx—my first time working on a building at this scale. It’s a huge learning experience. I got to produce DD (Design Development) and CD (Construction Documents) sets for the first time, which was totally new territory for me.
Honestly, I was intimidated at first, but I’m so glad I was placed on this project. My project leader, Sam, believed in me from day one, and I was determined to show him that I could rise to the challenge. I put in a lot of hard work, learned a ton along the way, and now things are finally coming together.
One of the highlights has been designing interior spaces for the school—bathrooms, makerspaces, even gymnasiums. I especially loved working on the interior elevations. Seeing all those little details come to life on paper made the project feel so real and tangible. There’s a special kind of pride that comes with seeing your own design choices take shape.
I can’t wait to visit the school once it’s built and walk through the spaces I helped create. But for now, I’m shifting gears again—working on some new competitions and starting fresh projects based in Europe. It’s a lot, but I feel like I’m growing every day.
Despite the heat (or maybe because of it), June was one of those months that reminded me how full of life this city is—and how lucky I am to be part of something so dynamic and creative.
