Looking back ... gathering the tools ...

I started my career in the mid-80's as an Architectural Technician (as it was called back then) and qualified as a Chartered Architectural Technologist with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists in the UK in the late 80', & I'm still a proud paid-up Member.

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Technologists in architecture explore, innovate & apply construction technology in the true sense of the word covering such aspects as health safety & environmental, Project establishment techniques, materials technology & construction science, contract forms & management, design & environmental optimisation. We also focused significantly on the advancement & use of system based collaborative & parametric technologies, to advance the processes and outcomes of the design and construction process (Meaning .... we were pioneering early adopters of CAD).

 

As a collaborative profession the institute embodies a distinctly practical contribution to the advancement of the built environment, with the current tagline of "Architectural Technology, the technology of architecture". I was particularly passionate about this aspect of the profession, but not just for the physical architectural component.

 

The real excitement comes from the all encompassing engagement in the creation of the built environment for both living and working. Which means interacting ... absorbing & exchanging intelligence ... with clients, traditional and non-traditional co-professionals, emerging technology & data evangelists, and exploring what those interactions trigger in terms of great ideas to deliver solutions in new & inspired ways. That's what equipped me, and led me, into Project Management and ultimately the broader aspects of the consulting business, and commercial real estate.

 

From the earliest days of my career, the CIAT's framework equipped me to be exposed and accountable to all aspects of the 'coal face' of design & construction, gaining significant responsibility for project life-cycle delivery from a relatively young age. I'm a nuts and bolts kind of guy - if I didn't know, I wanted to find out. If despite best efforts I still couldn't find out, I'd come up with a working solution, maybe a bit of invention. The practical engagement 'on the fly' solutioning suited me well ...

 

But that was then. It was half my career. It was huge fun ...

 

Moving to present day, from those formative years the trait's of my "in at the deep end" career start, under some brilliant mentors, have been retained as my true passions. They provided a great background to morphing into the corporate & commercial real estate sector at strategic and tactical levels - Working in the business, and then on the business within a global Real Estate consultant for the second half of my career.

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So my passions have moved on from gathering the tools, to using them, sharing them, re-purposing them, developing new ones, and mentoring others as I was mentored. Aggregating all I know (and am yet to know) into my personal value proposition.

 

A proposition to contribute to society, people, projects, businesses and the built environment in ways that advance, innovate and truly add value.

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And still have fun doing it, still mentoring others, because we're all in this together !