I’m a Chartered Architect from Northern Ireland and currently a Design Lead at Mace Group in London. I studied Architecture at Queen’s University Belfast before moving to the Netherlands to pursue further studies at TU Delft, where I gained valuable work experience. I later completed my chartership at The Bartlett in London and transitioned into the Design Management field. At my core I’m an architect, however, I approach design with a practical mindset, deeply engaged with the technical aspects of construction.
Over the past 14 years, my career has spanned urban design and architecture across China, Europe, and the UK, including mixed-use residential projects in London. I later moved to contractor-side delivery roles, gaining first hand insight into construction and the contractor’s role in design during technical and construction stages.
No two days are the same—and that’s one of the things I enjoy most about my role. I work across both the technology and manufacturing and private sectors, leading small design management teams within Mace. My responsibility is to ensure our delivery teams are performing, resolving any technical challenges and building strong relationships with external consultants and subcontractors, all working towards delivering a high-quality product to our clients.
My involvement spans all scales and stages of design. One moment I might be discussing fire strategy compliance with clients and fire engineers, and the next I’m reviewing pipe closure fixings with passive fire protection contractors. I could be in an architect’s office, meeting with a client, and then on-site—all in the same day.
It’s the satisfaction of solving complex challenges that motivates me. I take pride in seeing projects completed and hearing positive feedback long after they’re occupied. It’s humbling to witness how these buildings become part of a place and community.
In design, I always consider how people will live, work, and interact with the spaces we create. Safety is paramount in this process. For me, the greatest reward is knowing that the work I do contributes to safe, functional, and meaningful environments.
In my field, every success feels hard-earned, so each one is worth celebrating. A personal highlight was working on the delivery of Battersea Power Station. I joined the project in 2017 and stayed through to its completion in 2022, progressing from Façade Coordinator to Design Lead.
The project was delivered during the challenges of COVID and in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire. Grenfell had a profound impact on how we approached design and safety, prompting us to take extra precautions and make significant changes to ensure compliance and reassurance for both authorities and the client.
Fire safety became the central theme of the project, influencing every discipline and pushing us to accommodate or rethink the project to ensure it was as safe as we could possibly make it. Despite the difficulties, there was a remarkable ‘can-do’ spirit across the entire team and a lot of very talented people across the design and construction teams. I feel fortunate to have played a part in delivering such an iconic development.
I suppose my route into fire engineering is different from the usual path. For me, I wanted to increase my knowledge of fire safety design. I find that on the projects I am delivering so many of the challenges, and the fundamental performance requirements are driven out of design for fire. I wanted to understand this subject more deeply to allow me to really grasp the decision-making process both at a strategic, functional and detail level. In taking this approach, I can cross the disciplinary divide to try to resolve or avoid the typical pitfalls that affect project delivery due to issues with how fire performance is interpreted and applied to design.
After completing my IFE Level 3 in Passive Fire Safety, I wanted to formally recognise that achievement by adding the TIFireE post-nominals to give assurance to clients and also act as a bit of a marker when working in teams that I have some understanding and competence on the subject of fire safety. That was the key motivation behind upgrading my membership.
Access to CPD and learning material has been incredibly useful, as has the credibility that comes with mentioning the training and accreditation to clients. It reinforces confidence in the work I do.
I think a lot of people are surprised when they hear that I have gone the distance to become a member. I don’t think many architects have gone down this route, though I could see many more taking this path in future with the increased scrutiny of design through the Building Safety Act. Since becoming a member, I have noticed that it is easier to engage with disciplines of fire engineering, and likewise I am better prepared to ask the right question, in the right way, to specialists. This for me has unlocked quite a number of things recently.
Absolutely. Being part of a wider network focused on fire safety helps me stay informed and connect with professionals working on similar challenges. It’s a valuable resource for anyone involved in design and delivery.
Make sure your CPD is relevant and well-documented. If you’re coming from a different discipline, tailor your application to reflect how your experience aligns with fire safety principles—it will make a real difference.