2021 Women in Building Services: Adele Perera, Outsource Consultants, Inc.

Name: Adele Perera, AIA, NCARB

Title: Code and Zoning Analyst

Company Name: Outsource Consultants, Inc.

Real estate associations or organizations that you are currently a member of:

• The American Institute of Architects, AIA Queens Chapter,
• NCARB

Who was/is your mentor and how did s/he influence/help you in your career?

When I was in school at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, Sidney Shelov, FAIA, architecture professor and dean, saw that I was struggling to keep my day job in a local architectural firm and also attend his classes. He took the time to talk to me about my career goals and recommended me for a position as a staff researcher at the NYC Landmarks Commission. His interest, humor and actions changed the trajectory of my career.

What trends will dominate your industry in the coming months?

I think that there will be a push to think outside of the box regarding affordable housing in New York City. This will require more zoning flexibility and creative thinking on the part of developers and architects to repurpose the existing real estate landscape as the housing demographic has been markedly changed as a result of our collective response to the pandemic in how we now work, where we work and where we can afford to live.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I always knew that I would be an architect. I grew up in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia. My mother, a native Philadelphian toted me along as she explored art exhibits and museums from Downtown out to the Main Line via public transportation. Left much of the time on my own, I spent hours on end daydreaming of fantastic cities, making models of them which I created in cardboard and paper and kept under my bed.

What led you to your current profession?

After years many decades as a technical designer and project manager for large corporate architectural establishments doing multifamily residential and mixed-use commercial developments, I am enjoying sharpening my expertise as a code and zoning analyst.

In the past year, what project, transaction or accomplishment are you most proud of?

This has been a tough transitional year for my career in Architecture. I am proud to have found the resilience to adapt to the new landscape of Architectural work during COVID. I am feeling positive about my new role in guiding architects with my experience.

How do you contribute to your community or profession?

It is refreshing to see that an active idea of mentorship exists for women in architecture today. I like to think that I am part of that trend.

What books or social media influencers would you recommend to other women?

Favorite reads: Woman On The Edge Of Time by Marge Piercy; Invisible Cities by Italo Calvino; and Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood