I am currently working in a project management role on the Millennium Bridge, so I spend most of the day in meetings, on the telephone and writing letters and e-mails.
Tell me more about the project
It’s a footbridge spanning the Thames from St Paul’s Cathedral to the Tate Gallery of Modern Art at Bankside. I worked on the competition bid and have stayed with it ever since. It embodies everything about cities that interests me – urban regeneration and the effect of technology on construction. We’re pushing the boundaries of technology to build something that’s never been built before – a suspension bridge with an incredibly low profile – using computer modelling technology.
The bridge will create a link between the north and south banks of the Thames, and regenerate the south. It is very streamlined, with its minimal, delicate span. We started on site in March and the bridge is due to be completed by May 2000.
What is the best thing about your job?
It is always interesting and challenging, so I am never bored. Also, it is great to work for a company that strives for quality, keeps asking questions and doesn’t make design sacrifices. There are lots of talented people to learn from.
What do you dislike about it?
The job is stressful and completely absorbing, so I find it quite hard to switch off at the end of the day.
So how do you relax?
I go running, I drive my car and I’m learning to glide. Gliding is completely different from anything else – it’s so quiet up there.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Winning the thesis prize at college. My thesis was an urban design project in Bermondsey that addressed the difficulties experienced in Docklands when the fabric of the area was pulled down and new buildings appeared, but transport connections were not yet up and running.
How did you become interested in architecture?
When I was 17, I visited a solar-powered village in Colorado and that was really a catalyst. It made a profound impression on me because it combined building technology and environmental concerns in a rigorous way. That visit sparked my interest in urban design and the environment.
What are your ambitions for the future?
I’m happy doing what I’m doing now, but, if anything, I’d like to teach one day.
Who has been the biggest influence on you in your career?
I don’t really have a mentor but my father had a lot of influence on me. He is a propulsion engineer and designs rockets and missiles. When I was little, we used to build models of them in the garden.
What building would you most like to design?
I would love to do a building in space – a space station. It’s an extreme environment and you would have to design something where people could live and work. The context and the climate would be a real challenge.
What would your alternative career be?
I would be a glider pilot in the Himalayas. I love being in the mountains.
