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Harry Reece

Director, Base Architecture & Design in Shrewsbury

        1. IN A NUTSHELL, WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY DO?

As an architectural practice we provide innovative, bespoke design solutions to each of our clients. We work across a range of sectors from residential development and refurbishment, historic properties and conservation areas, commercial, industrial, healthcare and leisure.

  1. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN YOUR CURRENT JOB?

I’ve been at Base for eight years. Prior to that I worked at an international practice for seven years.

  1. EXPLAIN A TYPICAL WEEK IN YOUR WORKING LIFE:

Typical isn’t a word we use at Base and, with the nature of my position, I have to be flexible. Primarily my duties across the week consist of new project enquiries, fee bid proposals, design team meetings, internal project reviews, programming, site visits, business development and practice marketing.

  1. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW?

The UK’s planning system and financing on developments for new developers.

  1. AND WHAT ARE THE BIG OPPORTUNITIES?

Innovation. As a country we are embracing new design materials and construction methods to improve on our housing stock, as well as trying to create as sustainable an economy as possible.

  1. HOW DO YOU GET THE BEST OUT OF YOUR STAFF?

Biscuits. Hobnobs primarily. In all seriousness, we don’t pigeonhole our staff. It means that everyone has a diverse skill set and naturally feels part of the design and construction process. I’d therefore hope that they have high job satisfaction from working at Base and seeing schemes through to completion. I think this does show in what we produce.

  1. WHAT WAS YOUR LAST MEETING ABOUT, HOW LONG DID IT LAST, AND WAS IT PRODUCTIVE?

A tender review meeting with a contractor to a property undergoing extensive remodelling and extensions. Alongside this, we’re including a three bay garage, workshop and stable. It was a very productive meeting lasting an hour. We managed to maintain the scope of works and specification whilst reducing costs and expenditure to our client.

  1. HOW MANY EMAILS DO YOU GET IN A DAY, AND HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE TO READ THEM?

On average each day is perhaps 70. We ensure we make the time.

  1. DO YOU ANSWER WORK CALLS OR EMAILS AT HOME? WHAT’S THE RIGHT WORK-LIFE BALANCE?

Unfortunately it is now and again a way of life. Our industry is based upon deadlines. If deadlines are not met, it can either cost our clients or contractors a lot of money.

  1. HOW DO YOU HOPE YOUR COLLEAGUES WOULD DESCRIBE YOU?

Dashing . . .

  1. BREXIT – WHAT’S YOUR VIEW OF WHAT IT’S ALL GOING TO MEAN?

Unfortunately, unless you dedicate your life to following Brexit, I don’t think any of us really know. There are that many ‘spun’ articles and stories around, it does become difficult to understand what reality is. I just hope, as an economy, we can think outside of the box to any restrictions that may be presented away from the ‘norm’ and strengthen ourselves from it. I think if we resist the change then it will only be a negative.

  1. HIGHLIGHTS OR LOWLIGHTS OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?

Highlights: Working on the array of schemes we have with our enthusiastic team. There is never a dull project and we’ve been lucky enough to be given a few awards for them.

Lowlights: I suppose when I was training I would make the odd mistake (we learn from them) and I wanted the ground to swallow me up!

  1. PET HATES?

People being late, or on the odd occasion me being late . . . probably because someone else made me late.

  1. IF YOU COULD GO BACK AND GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF SOME WISE ADVICE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

“Order the salad, Harry”

  1. HOW DO YOU RELAX AWAY FROM WORK?

As a relatively new father it’s difficult to ‘relax’. But I generally enjoy socialising, switching off in the gym or popping over to Anglesey (Trearddur Bay) for a weekend (this one’s my favourite).

  1. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS SPECIAL ABOUT THE SHROPSHIRE BUSINESS COMMUNITY?

We are so diverse and innovative, embracing enterepreurship in all sectors. As a county we have such a strong history in industry and innovation, it’s still engrained in us today. It’s fantastic to see and be a part of it. We should be proud.

  1. TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT YOU THAT MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY WOULDN’T KNOW.

Before hitting my 20s, I was a pretty competitive shot for the Shropshire Clay Shooting Team.

  1. YOU CAN TAKE ONE BOOK, ONE FILM AND ONE CD ONTO A DESERT ISLAND – WHAT WOULD THEY BE?

Book: Any of Richard Branson’s autobiographies (or maybe Band of Brothers).

Film: There’s a standing joke that The Bodyguard is my favourite film so I feel as though I should use that!

CD: Well, hopefully the sea is clear, the sand is white and the desert island has a bar. If that’s the case then maybe some nice chilled Ibiza tunes.

  1. YOUR FIVE DREAM DINNER PARTY GUESTS, DEAD OR ALIVE?

Good question . . . wow.

Holly Willoughby, Micky Flanagan, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood - a very random party but I bet it would be good fun!

  1. WHAT WOULD YOU COOK FOR THEM…?

Sunday roast maybe. Rib of beef, rare.

http://www.morland-potter.co.uk

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