We’re delighted to announce that our interior architectural designer, Will Grieve, has passed his Architecture Registration Board Part 1 qualification (ARB Part 1).
As an interior architecture graduate, Will was familiar with redesigning an existing space while being sensitive to the history of the building. However, this post-graduate course opened up a bigger question for him: what is the building process from foundation to roof?
For this assessment, Will was tasked with designing an extension for a building that would add revenue for an existing business and overhaul any issues faced by the structure. The building chosen was the Alphabetti Theatre in the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, and Will embarked on a mission to research and justify how this venue could be future-proofed and enhanced from the ground up.
Firstly, Will identified that the building needed a variety of changes to bolster its energy efficiency. Of course, designing to fight against climate change is imperative, now more than ever. Some measures suggested by Will included remedying the single-glazed, broken windows, introducing photovoltaic roof lights to allow natural light to enter the building, and replacing the roof for better insulation.
As well as his energy efficiency strategies, Will worked extensively to make the building a more safe and secure public venue. As well as installing fire alarms in every room of the building and adding clear signposted escape routes, Will identified that there are currently no fire mains on the site for pump appliances, such as fire engines. Therefore, Will included adding access and facilities for the fire service to his plans.
At Bernard Interiors, we work extensively with architects on the majority of projects we’re involved in, meaning that being able to learn more about this sector is imperative. Our mission is to keep learning every day, which is why our team is continuously developing their skills and broadening their knowledge.
The ability to understand architecture to a greater extent means that Will can speak to contractors and communicate with them on a level that works for our team and theirs. We’re looking forward to seeing the relationships that Will builds as a result of this, and the rewards he reaps throughout his career.
Overall, we’re all extremely proud of Will and his success. We can’t wait to see what he puts his mind to next!
