In the AIA New Jersey Women In Architecture Spotlight: Delly D. Yaker, AIA, Persevered to Become An Architect Twice, And Is Extremely Proud of What She’s Accomplished!

March 24, 2019

In the AIA New Jersey Women In Architecture Spotlight: Delly D. Yaker, AIA, Persevered to Become an Architect Twice, and Proud of What She’s Accomplished

My name is Delly Yaker, I’m the founder and principal of Delly D. Yaker Architecture and Interior Design. I was born and raised in Caracas Venezuela, moving to the United States a few years after starting my professional career. I graduated with a B.S. in Architecture from La Facultad de Arquitectura in La Universidad Central de Venezuela and completed a Construction Management program from La Universidad Metropolitana. I gained experience in a couple of architectural firms in Caracas and eventually, I formed a small partnership practice called Intrad:dos Arquitectura.

Moving to the United States as a professional architect proved to be very challenging. Finding a job was extremely hard but I succeeded after countless tries. My goal was to get registered as soon as possible so I started the process evaluating my credentials and having my architectural degree validated. I had to go back to college and take an English Composition course to satisfy missing credits. At last, my degree was accepted, and I open my NCARB record.

In a short time, I gained enough experience and completed the IDP requirements enabling me to take the Architectural Registration Exam. While working full time and raising my growing family, I decided to take the ARE. It was a monumental task and it felt as if I was studying to be an architect all over again. I had to master a new language, learn new building codes and understand entirely different methods of construction.

I persevered, took some exams multiple times and finally passed them all within four and half years. In 2016, I got my license and became a registered architect in New Jersey. A few months afterward, I founded my own design firm. I’m extremely proud of my accomplishments and I’m ready to face entrepreneurship and its own challenges.

I always knew I wanted to be an architect. Very early in my childhood, I used to draw floor plans with colorful and detailed furniture while the rest of my friends drew typical houses outlined by square bases and triangular roofs. I often think about those drawings and how they represented my dreams. They help me fuel my passion and commitment to architecture and design; they remind me of my intention.

By Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, AIA NJ Advocacy Consultant | Posted in Women in Architecture | Tagged: #Architecture, #CaracasVenezuela, #DellyDYakerAIA, #diversity, #equity, #Inclusion, #interiors, #WIA, #womeninarchitecture, #WomensHistoryMonth | Comments (0)