Made for the job
I started my current job almost four years ago. I was fortunate to find the job just before the recession hit in early 2008, which seemed to strike almost overnight. I left my last job in a bit of a hurry, an interim step between two great employers if you like. When I started I was even luckier to be able to run two phases of a planning application. The first went in smoothly and was consented surprisingly easily after 3 months, the second less so and took another few years of negotiations and hard work to get sorted. Finally it did get consent, including planning, listed building and various other statutory approvals, but then nothing, there was no money to take the scheme forward. I enjoyed both parts of the job which were interspersed with other projects in the office. The best thing about working on these jobs was dealing day to day with a client, understanding their needs, relating to them, engaging with them and speaking to them almost daily at times, guiding them forward and reassuring them and aiming to achieve more than they ever thought possible. At many times you’re abstracted from that process of engagement but here I was seeing how it all worked and thriving on it. It really flicked a light on in me and made me want me realise why I had trained to be an Architect – I was made for it if you like.
Fast forward to last Monday and I find out that one of the phases is going ahead – with me as project Architect. Words cannot express how happy I am to be able to realise a project that I designed (with the input and guidance of my boss of course). There’s something so good about seeing something from start to finish and, fingers crossed, seeing a beautiful building and happy client at the end of that process. I’m so looking forward to solving some really tricky detailing problems and spending some time on site engaging with all the parties that go into making a brilliant building happen. That should keep me busy for the next few years.
