Experience
I have spent four decades in the construction industry, including sixteen years running my own independent architectural practice.
Aug. 2019 – current
Building Draughtsman
Wenzel & Wenzel GmbH, Frankfurt am Main
- Key member of the Detail design team (LPH5) for two major and highly complex public buildings: New Terminal 3 building and station for the public transport system at Frankfurt International airport and the renovation and extension of the existing Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe.
- Created and co-ordinated 250+ CAD construction details for numerous work packages including roofs, floors, ceilings, metal construction and drywall construction.
- Respected for being able to undertake design reviews that identified and resolved design issues before they became construction problems. Such as extensive bitumen flat roofs with excessive insulation depths.
- Collaborated with project design team, project design architects, engineers and specialist manufacturers to find solutions to technical design and/or onsite construction issues often under severe time and cost constraints. Such as collisions between fire curtains and travelators, acoustic control of theatre rehearsal stages, solutions for acoustic floors to withstand 10kN point loads with minimal construction depth.
- Mentored and assisted fellow colleagues and students with technical detailing and design.
Apr. 2003 – June 2019
Architectural Consultant / Business Owner
Coggins-Hill (Building Futures), Freigericht
Managed all areas necessary for the successful operation of an architectural practice. Was forced to close the consultancy business due to unsurmountable problems and costs created by “Brexit”.
- Completed 50+ projects with 2 architectural Practices, 2 small scale property developers and 1 Design & Build contractor based in the UK.
- Produced the Standard Methods and Procedures (SMP) document to transform the business to be fully compliant with BIM Level 2 / BS1192:2007 in July 2018.
- Provided comprehensive information packages for planning, building regulation approvals and construction including 3D construction models, 3D Architectural visualisations, CDM design assessments and BREEAM assessments.
Oct. 2003 – June 2019
Business Language Coach – English
Target Training GmbH, Offenbach / Main
- Delivered the remote support components of the Business English training courses for 3 large German companies in the automotive and logistics sectors and Europe's largest applied research Institute.
- Developed tools and standardised documents and procedures to efficiently track, manage and support the 700+ participants and three on-site trainers over three rolling training programmes.
July 2002 – April 2003 (10 months)
Architectural Technologist / Project Manager / Health & Safety Planning Supervisor
Avebury Projects Limited, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, UK
I joined APL to develop and expand my project management skills but due to changes in my personal circumstances, I left Avebury after nine months to relocate to Germany.
- Developing and co-coordinating APL's details and specifications for future projects.
- Researching and reporting on the current viability of grey water systems in housing.
May 1998 – July 2002 (4 years 3 months)
Architectural Technologist / Project Coordinator / Health & Safety Planning Supervisor
The Harris Partnership, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, UK
I spent four years working at THP's Newport Pagnell office during which time I developed and strengthened my project co-ordination/management skills and became the Health & Safety Planning Supervisor for the office.
- Expanding Project Management responsibilities.
- Successfully delivering several “Design & Build” projects that involved demanding planning and client led requirements and technical design issues.
- Gaining full membership to Association for Project Safety (APS) in 2000.
- Progressing Associate membership to CIAT (1991) to Full Membership in 2002.
July 1997 – May 1998 (11 months)
Architectural Technologist
Hobden Partnerships, Northampton, UK
June 1991 – June 1997 (6 years 1 month)
Architectural Technician
GSS Architecture, Kettering & Northampton, UK
January 1991 – March 1991 (3 months)
Architectural Technician
Booker Cash & Carry Limited, Wellingborough, UK
I joined the architectural department and was part of the team responsible for store refurbishments. Made redundant after 3 months following closure of the architect department.
December 1986 – December 1990 (4 years 1 month)
Architectural Technician
Paul Hobden Associates, Higham Ferrers & Northampton, UK
I joined as an office junior but quickly learned and developed the necessary skills to become a key member of the architectural team. Made redundant at the end of 1990.