Architect in the House

One of the best things about leaving a large practice and starting your own is that you get the chance to decide where and in what you want to invest your own time in. When we first started we found it amazing, once left to our own devices, how quickly we were able to meet new people and broaden our network. One of the many ways we decided to do this was through an event called 'Architect in the House' which puts architects together with local people for an initial free consultancy to provide ideas for their house or extension- the 'client' is then expected to make a small donation in aid of the charity 'Shelter' in return.

So far we've provided three consultations for Architect in the House and I have found them all to be immensely enjoyable and rewarding. I have to admit to having experienced an initial feeling of trepidation of what would happen if I arrived and couldn't come up with any good ideas. However, after a relaxed chat followed by a quick measured survey to draw up a base plan from which to work from, the ideas flowed with the clients in a natural way. It has been great to be meeting people in this way and I've found developing designs in these brief encounters as enjoyable as working on concepts for multiple-million pound commercial schemes.

One of the consultations led to a small commission to look further at some options for converting a small bedroom attic space with a low sloping ceiling into a bathroom space. Presenting the ideas back to my client the following week reminded me of one the main reasons I enjoy being an architect. I felt fairly confident in the scheme but the enthusiasm with which it was received was truly gratifying..

Image produced in Revit showing the proposed converted bedroom attic space