Transition to Architectural Design

Architecture is a profession but, for me, architecture is an art which provides an opportunity to transform art into tangible, realistic and regularised forms which could be buildings, parks, cities , urban places or sculptures.

God is in the Details, (by Mies van der Rohe) my architecture career started as an architecture technician drafting technical details. I started architecture degree in course studies in September 2006. Before starting my studies of the architecture degree, I had achieved a one-year architectural technician diploma which I completed in 2004, in Lahore, Pakistan and for a year I worked as an architecture technical (also known as draftsman) in an architecture practice based in Lahore, Pakistan known as ZASA Architects. From the beginning of my career, I was involved in drafting technical details, floor plans, elevations etc. But I recognised that an architecture technician’s role is very limited compared to an architect.

My ambitions in design led me to participate in design aspects of projects, however because of not having a formal qualification, I was restricted from performing as a lead designer role and I recognised that without having a formal architecture qualification I would not be able to perform/participate as a lead designer. From the beginning, my interest was in architecture design and in a short time I realised that there are other professions associated with the architecture industry including architecture technicians, architecture assistants, architecture technologists and architects. In all of these professions, the role of the architect is vast, comprehensive.

RIBA Part-1 – BA (Hons) Architecture

After achieving UK’s student visa, I came to the UK to study architecture. However, I knew that architecture education is 5 years full-time and an additional 1 year part-time Part-3. I was not certain whether I would be able to complete 5 years full-time education or not. Nevertheless, I convinced myself that I should start a 3 years degree and whether to consider additional 2 years or not will be decided by the time. Furthermore, I started submitting applications for courses in architectural degrees at several universities. I was accepted in 3 universities but I selected to study at London Southbank University because of its reputation, easy fees structure and latest architecture learning facilities.

During my Part-1 in the second year, I managed to secure a part-time job in Oxford Architects (London Office) based in Shoreditch. My colleagues were very supportive and one day my colleague (who was a project architect) told me about Tadao Ando architect. He explained me that he was a boxer and because of his interest in design and architecture he started studying architecture and now he is a famous architect. This gave me ample inspiration and confident. Tadao Ando, Zaha Hadid and Louis I Kahn are my major inspiration throughout my career.

During my first degree in architecture I faced a number of difficulties. I found that the architecture course was not as easy as I expected and it required considerable dedication and hard work. Furthermore, with the help of Michael Ribbons and Katherine, who were my tutors in second year’s design units, I gained an extensive understanding with architecture and comprehended that the architecture is not limited to formulation of the designs of buildings. It has further disciplines including urban design, public realm and interior design etc. During my second-year study, I manage to secure a part-time job in a small architect’s office in Shoreditch. This helped me a lot financially and updated my knowledge and skills within the architecture industry.

RIBA Part-2 – MArch in Architecture

Following the circumstances of one of the worst credit crunches of the history in 2009, the architecture and construction industry did bear extreme consequences of this. Therefore, a very limited number of jobs were available in the architecture industry. In these circumstances, RIBA and many other architecture schools exempted the necessity of 12 months full-time practical experience to get admission in RIBA Part-2. Furthermore, as I my visa status was student in the UK, and the student visa not allows to intake full-time work. I already had more than a year of part-time experience and therefore, I managed to get admission in Kingston University to study RIBA Part-2.

I applied in several universities for my Part-2 including University Colleague London (UCL) Bartlett School of Architecture and was accepted in UCL as well as in Kingston University. But as I was an international student and UCL fee was out of my affordability, therefore I joined the Kingston University.

MArch (RIBA Part-2) was a design led course which consists of total 7 units and is extended over 2 years including design modules, reading, critical analysis and finally, a thesis work. It enhanced my understating with architecture and design to a significantly higher level and strengthened my knowledge about architecture design and technology.

The important things I learnt from this course were architecture technology, sustainability, interface between human & spaces, difference between space & place, relationship between interior and exterior, understanding the urban design, relationship between an individual building & the urban/rural environment and public realm within urban design and history of architecture in modern & post-modern era.

All the units were equally important in this course, but it developed my interest further particularly in sustainability, urban design and public realm (including public space design). Therefore, my thesis work was consisted of regeneration of a high street, ‘’Regeneration of Whitechapel High Street”.

Urban design is a vast subject and MArch course provides a flavour of different architecture disciplines although mainly focusing on building design. My interest led me to participate in different workshops, reading and attending open lectures in different universities particularly AA School of Architecture to create a better understanding of urban designs. Apart from all of these, two of my favourite books substantially aided me to enhance my understanding with urban design, “Death and Life of Great American Cities” by Jane Jacobs and “The Image of the City” by Kevin A Lynch.

My thesis was a project of urban regeneration of a high street focusing on modern high street concept as a public realm “Regeneration of Whitechapel High Street”. My thesis work was a combination of both design (concepts, sketches, 3D CGIs, drawings) and theory of urban regeneration and public realm. I completed MArch in July 2011. At that time, the Whitechapel High Street, the underground station and the surrounding area were collectively considered as a deprived area comparatively to the City of London.

Post Study Experience

I have been mainly involved in residential and mixed-use projects ranging from the small to medium scale. My involvement in projects were preparing design, planning permission drawings and submissions, Building Regulations drawings, construction detail drawings, setting out drawings, writing specifications and for the last 1 year I have been also involved in architect’s appointment process, I became familiar with architect’s fee calculation, tender documentation, tendering process, contractor’s selection process and contract administration.

This aided my understanding to a broader level and furthered my knowledge as an architect’s professional responsibility and professionalism.

After the completion of MArch, I circulated my CVs to different organisations for internship, particularly at a few boroughs of London to gain inside experience of the Planning System. I secured a 3-months internship offer from London Borough of Newham and I immediately joined.

After the 3-months internship I gained substantial experience of

• Planning System
• Day-to-day management & managing the meeting records
• Organising Design Review Panel meetings
• Was involved in large scale and urban design projects
• Assisting senior urban designer
• Assessment and feedback for small to medium scale project’s on design aspects

This boosted my knowledge and skills as well as provided me with substantial confidence. After completion of 3-months of internship, I managed to secure a job in Matthew Wyles Architects as a Part-2 architectural assistant. This was a medium level architecture practice consisting of 15 employees including practice directors. This practice was involved in small to large scale health care, residential, mixed-use and commercial projects. The clients were property developers, home owners and health care organisations. I was mainly part of the design team and was involved in pre-and-post-planning stages, preparing design, planning documents, Building Regulation drawings, formulating specifications and tender documentation. I worked at Matthew Wyles Architects

I was enthusiastic to learn different kinds of experiences. Therefore, it was a time for change. Although, I was comfortable in Matthew Wyles Architects because the Matthew and senior staff were extremely supportive, however, it was equally important for my career to gain experience of different organisations to seek different office management systems, design and drafting, software and implementation etc. During working at Matthew Wyles Architects, the projects which I worked on have been listed in PEDRs Sheet

I joined A & N Architects in 2015. The A & N Architects was a small practice of 5 staff and mainly was involved in residential projects and mixed-use projects. The reason behind joining a small practice was because I will have a prominent position and a good degree of responsibility within the practice and ample site experience particularly at the construction stage. I worked in A & N Architects until November 2017. During this time, I was part of the main design team, liaising with clients, preparing planning drawings, submitting planning applications to the councils via the Planning Portal, Building Regulation drawings, technical details, liaising with councils, preparing tender documents but I learned a number of new things including tender distribution, tender opening and selection process of the contract. However, I was keen to learn the roles and responsibilities of a Contract Administration, procurement and contract selection.

This practice was not very well organised. Filing and project records were not kept properly. The practice was facing a number of IT issues almost every week. The computer & IT record backup system was not organised regularly. I worked in this practice till November 2017. My projects’ details during working in A & N Architects reflected in PEDR Sheet

I joined Proportions Design Studio in December 2017 and presently I am working in this practice. My current practice consists of 10 staff members including the practice director. The practice is busy and involved in residential, mixed-use and commercial projects ranging from small house extensions to medium scale projects. All colleagues and staff are supportive and friendly. But comparatively to my previous work experience, this practice lacks the level of professionalism, which needs to be maintained particularly with clients. The director trying to make personal relations with almost every client, might be a business strategy. The practice strategy is to charge less and gain more projects. Because, this is a small practice with huge work load, therefore, I am extremely busy. However, I gained a valuable experience in this practice particularly. I am part of the design, liaising with clients in a professional manner, preparing and submitting planning applications, liaising with planners, co-ordination with other consultants, Building Regulation drawings, construction & detail drawings, specifications and tender documentation, Contract Administration team, tender and process of contractor’s selection. This is a significant contribution towards my architecture profession and particularly for my Part-3. For projects’ details please see PEDRs Sheet

RIBA Part-3

The RIBA Part-3 course has substantially aided me with an extensive knowledge of appointment documents, JCT building & services contracts and roles and responsibilities of a contract administrator. It has also fulfilled a gap which I was having in practice management, fee calculation and procurement and appropriate building and services contract’s choice.

Analysing myself against Part-3 criteria during the course study, I found myself relatively less familiar with few essential elements including fee calculation, procurement methds as well as building contracts. In last one year particularly, my focus has been on these sectors, however, to strengthen my knowledge and experiences further, my next aim is to pro-actively participate in these sectors as well as establish my critical understanding. An attempt has been made to establish my critical understanding regarding these elements within the case study, which is part of the documentary submission.

Conclusion

Having gained 7 years’ of experience in architecture industry, I am very pleased with my profession and experience, although there are always multiple chances of improvement and learning. At the beginning of my first degree, I found architecture relatively unfamiliar and difficult and it took some time to find my feet within its complexity. I have worked on several residential, mixed-use and commercial projects on all RIBA stages. Today, I am feeling confident in handling a project from scratch to an end-product. I like architecture and I am pleased about my decision which was made 13 years ago, at the beginning of my first degree. However, my next aim is (after successful completion of Part-3) to be a part of large scale and creative (urban design and place-making) projects; the aspects which I have missed working on and take entire responsibility as a project architect.

Architecture has been extensively influenced by history, culture, values and traditions. If I am designing a cultural centre in Dubai, it will be different in design and technology than my design of a cultural centre in Liverpool or London.

Practically, architecture is strongly linked with the property development business. Most of the projects are designed and constructed to seek maximum financial benefits. This makes a challenging environment to design a building which could be the emblem of qualitative aesthetic architecture. An architect’s challenge in this is to maintain the quality of architecture, design, sustainability and technology while providing a financially via building, which I am keen to deliver.