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.
I’ve been at Base for eight years. Prior to that I worked at an international practice for seven years.
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.
The UK’s planning system and financing on developments for new developers.
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.
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.
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.
On average each day is perhaps 70. We ensure we make the time.
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.
Dashing . . .
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.
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!
People being late, or on the odd occasion me being late . . . probably because someone else made me late.
“Order the salad, Harry”
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).
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.
Before hitting my 20s, I was a pretty competitive shot for the Shropshire Clay Shooting Team.
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.
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!
Sunday roast maybe. Rib of beef, rare.
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