My placement year was with a Cambridge firm of architects called Bland, Brown & Cole LLP. It was a cosy office environment, but busy, comprising a staff of eight. My mentor, Mr Barry Brown (a Partner), provided me the opportunity to work on many typologies including educational buildings, urban houses, cultural and historical residences including a church; the latter proved to be a very interesting project. My initial project, Dale House, included preparing a brief for the client and consultant meetings, providing detailed on-site contractor guidance, schedules and a specification. The understanding of how an architectural practice operates, on a business level and how important time, cost and resources are, were quickly assimilated. Allied to that was the importance of good client relationships and inter-personal skills. I enjoyed my time with this practice.

Work experience placement between my second and third year architectural studies at Newcastle University. Work included an extension to a health care centre at Didcot, Oxfordshire, alterations to an office at a Doncaster power station and various housing schemes within Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire.The practice was multi-disciplinary, which meant I had the opportunity to meet other people from fields of the construction industry, such as structural, civil and mechanical engineers.