Where I came from.......

I started my journey into Landscape Architecture in May 2008 when I started working for Locam, a small architectural practice based in Norwich and Edinburgh. I worked as a general assistant, doing CAD drawings, researching and sourcing new materials, taking part in public consultations and liasing with contractors, local authorities and landscape architects.

I found that I was pretty good a physical modelling, and became the practices model maker, starting with the Barn Road Housing Association Scheme.

This was the final presentation model used to depict the new development at planning meetings, the area for the scheme was detachable, as the design needed updating after testing and changes to the client brief. During this project I used modelling as a testing process, which helped the rest of the studio to visualise different construction problems and constraints. So I was now not only Architects Assistant but also Master Model Maker!

While I was at Locam I had the good fortune to work on some great master planning jobs, including the one above for Colney, which introduced me to Sustainable Urban Drainage and working with a large team of land owners, contractors and other designers. It was also this project that introduced me to the work of Landscape Architects and the guys at Sheils Flynn, as their Landscape Character Assessments and ecological documents had to translated into the overall masterplan. 

I was also introduced to the concept of Homezones, which are a relatively new thing in the UK, and their implementation. Above is a model of a typical homezone. This model was used when discussing estate planning with local councils and land owners.

My favourite project at Locam was the Millenium Village South Lynn, which was a scheme offering an Enterprise Center with P.C.T facilities, nursery, gym suite, restuarant, office suites and breakout space and flexible Live/Work Units for start-up businesses which had to conform to Life Time Homes standards. This project really helped me to understand the complexities of the design process, design team management and of course the dreaded client brief!

During my employment at Locam I also had the opportunity to work in Edinburgh last summer, which was pretty amazing for the Lowestoft Lass. Not only did I experience working in another studio but was also there for Festival which was utterly brilliant, without Locam I would have never stood outside Edinburgh castle with a Jamaican blues guitarist singing a rather loud version of Jonny B Good!

Above is me, very drunk on my last night out in Edinburgh, in the Isobar in Leith. I think I got on a plane home about an hour and a half after this was taken, woops, at least I slept well on the plane!