5 minutes with … Attzaz Rashid at Barratt London

2026-07-10T06:00:00

The firm’s head of design on the importance of balancing creativity with viability, getting the fundamentals right, his favourite fruit and why he wishes he could speak to his cat

Why did you choose construction as a career?

I have always been drawn to how things come together. Even as a kid, I never really played with my toys, I used to take them apart to see how they worked. My dad was always, and still is very hands on with construction at home, which gave me a practical mindset.

At the same time I was drawn to creative arts and making things, especially through craft, design and technology at school, and maths came quite naturally to me. I was even a finalist in a national “home of the future” competition as a teenager. All of those strands came together and pointed me towards architecture.

Already registered? Login here

To continue enjoying Building.co.uk, sign up for free guest access

Existing subscriber? LOGIN

Stay at the forefront of thought leadership with news and analysis from award-winning journalists. Enjoy company features, CEO interviews, architectural reviews, technical project know-how and the latest innovations.

Limited access to building.co.uk
Breaking industry news as it happens
Breaking, daily and weekly e-newsletters

Get your free guest access SIGN UP TODAY

Subscribe now for unlimited access

Subscribe to Building today and you will benefit from:

Unlimited access to all stories including expert analysis and comment from industry leaders
Our league tables, cost models and economics data
Our online archive of over 10,000 articles
Building magazine digital editions
Building magazine print editions
Printed/digital supplements

Subscribe now for unlimited access.

View our subscription options and join our community