It was my combined love of mathematics, science, arts and film that led me to architecture. After four years of practice, co-designing university, sports and residential buildings, it was the fascination with the forces behind architecture that led me to start another degree, diving into planning theory and policy, sociology, urban economics, real estate finance – and more design. I was preoccupied with both physical and non-physical changes in space – changes of uses, users and meanings, politics of space, affordability, and tourism.
During the following 12 years, I was part of the urban design studio in a large multidisciplinary practice, where I worked on a fascinating range of projects and learned from diverse teams of professionals. In 2021, I continued that journey at Prior + Partners. From the variety of projects I have had a chance to be involved in, I feel particularly attuned to spaces for education, research and innovation.
Starting with a briefing study for Rolls Royce, this affinity grew with the years-long work on West Cambridge Innovation District, followed by the universities of Glasgow, Sussex and Singapore, and, most recently, Google’s Eco-Innovation District in Moffett Park. I love that these projects demand close engagement with the users, which allows us to learn from them, to unpack complex processes and devise functioning, stimulating places, together.
Seeing one’s ideas materialised in space comes with a mix of pride, incredulity, and wonder. Whether a small chapel I was a big part of, or a big district I was a small part of, they carry parts of us, but also, they carry on with lives of their own.