Architecture and storytelling: Dami Lee on making design accessible

Dami Lee, Architecture (MArch) ’14, is sharing architectural ideas through storytelling with more than two million subscribers of her YouTube channel (external link, opens in new window) . As the co-founder of Nollistudio, a creative studio focused on increasing architectural literacy, Lee provides an engaging and accessible lens on built environments, from pyramid theory (external link, opens in new window)  and megacities (external link, opens in new window)  to the fictional landscapes of Dune (external link, opens in new window)  and Star Wars (external link, opens in new window) .

Lee describes herself as “an architect turned content creator.” While she initially got started by sharing her experience of getting licensed, mostly for architectural students and interns, it quickly evolved into a channel about architecture for a wider audience. That’s when she joined forces with co-founder and filmmaker Raffaele di Nicola. Together, they’ve built a multidisciplinary team that creates videos connecting architecture to larger questions about culture, cities and everyday life.

“Architecture is a very unique lens to look at the world,” she said. “It can reveal the meaning behind your environment.”

From architectural practice to digital storytelling

Lee did not initially plan to pursue a career in media. After graduating from TMU, she expected to practise architecture in a traditional setting. But while working in the field, she found herself reflecting on the ideas and stories that had shaped her experience in architecture school.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee thought about what she enjoyed most about the discipline. Her thesis work, which involved researching ideas, writing and presenting them, stood out as a turning point. The result was a shift toward YouTube, where Lee began sharing architectural ideas with a wider audience.

“I’ve always loved storytelling,” she said. “The transition to YouTube wasn’t necessarily a departure from architecture — it was just the medium that let me do more with my interests.”

Making architecture part of the conversation

Lee’s early videos often focused on buildings people already had strong opinions about. One example was a Brutalist building at Simon Fraser University that students frequently criticized but architects admired. Rather than focusing on its appearance, Lee explored why the building existed and what it revealed about the society that created it (external link, opens in new window) .

“There are lots of incredible stories behind almost every building or city,” she said. “But they are rarely told in a way that engages people.”

For Lee, helping people to understand architecture is about more than explaining design concepts. It is about giving people the tools to better understand the environments they move through every day.

“People are rarely invited into the conversation about how their spaces are designed,” Lee  noted. “When people understand the forces behind design — history, economics, culture and technology — architecture becomes more of a conversation instead of something that just happens to you.”

As her audience continues to grow, Lee says she has seen how widely shared the curiosity around architecture can be. Viewers from different backgrounds often ask similar questions about housing, cities and the spaces around them. 

“What I’ve learned is that architecture tells you more about people than it does about buildings. How we build reveals what we value, what we fear and what we aspire to. I hope our work helps people see the world with new eyes and develop a curiosity in their everyday environments.”