Lucy Galloway was our most recent colleague to pass her part III exam, qualifying as an architect. We spoke to her to find out more about her experience so far in the industry, and her ambitions for the future.
“A key driver in aiming to qualify as an architect was so that I can continue to challenge the industry and the way buildings are designed in relation to inclusivity.”
Congratulations on passing your part III!
What originally interested you in architecture as a career?
Thank you! I am very pleased to have finally passed my Part III, which has been my main goal since starting to study architecture in first year. I enjoyed creative subjects at school – art was my favourite subject, but I also liked history & science. I found architecture to be a combination of so many different subjects, allowing me to be creative whilst bringing in a lot of my other interests too.
How have you found your years of study?
Although it has been a lengthy process, I thoroughly enjoyed my educational and practice experience over the last seven years, with each year bringing its own challenges. I completed both my bachelor’s and master’s degree at the University of Nottingham, also returning for my final Part III qualification. I moved to London for my first year in industry, working at HTA Design, a practice focussing on high-rise modular residential schemes. After completing my master’s, I joined HLM, where I have continued to work alongside studying at the University of Nottingham. My time at HLM so far has been a rich learning experience, with the overall practice ethos surrounding social value and inclusive design fitting very well with my own architectural views.
What areas of architecture have you discovered a passion for?
Throughout my studies over the seven years, I have had a strong focus on inclusivity, from a research and design perspective. I have been motivated by the lack of inclusive design for people with physical and neurological differences, inspired through witnessing the experiences of my brother, who has autism. A key driver in aiming to qualify as an architect was so that I can continue to challenge the industry and the way buildings are designed in relation to inclusivity, and I’m looking forward to gaining experience as an architect at HLM, especially with this in mind.
How has working alongside studying helped you to develop an understanding of the profession?
Working at HLM has been invaluable whilst I have been studying for my Part III qualification over the last year. I’ve been part of multiple mentoring groups, where colleagues have helped me go through past papers, progress my case study and prepare for my in-person exams. I have also gained knowledge from colleagues across the practice – not just those working in the architectural team. This has helped me significantly in gaining a well-rounded understanding of the practice and industry, which is key to qualifying.
My allocated Part III mentor, Moinak Basu, and Mo Ul-Haq, have been very helpful, with weekly catchups giving me the chance to ask questions on topics introduced on my course. This has been invaluable in helping to bridge my understanding between the theory learnt at university, and how it may be applied in practice.
I’ve had a very diverse experience so far, having worked on defence, residential, hospitality and community projects of a range of scales, and a variety of project stages from strategic definition to completing technical design packages. Particularly within the residential sector, I have developed my knowledge of offsite construction across RIBA Workstages 2-5, which has been helpful in looking forward to and understanding the future direction of the industry.
What are your aspirations for the future?
I’d like to continue working in the residential sector and would also like to work on schools for pupils with Special Educational Needs. This would help me to further explore my interest in inclusive design and bring my own research and ideas from my postgraduate degree into the workplace.
Alongside my studies during sixth year, I taught first-year students at the University of Nottingham their studio module, working alongside architects from a range of backgrounds. I found teaching the first years improved my own work, as I was able to critically analyse my own thoughts and designs with greater depth. I’d like to continue tutoring at the university, as a guest reviewer at undergraduate level, as I found inspiring and guiding students starting their architectural journey a rewarding experience.
Pictured below: Lucy’s final Year 6 design project
