• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Allan Corfield Architects

Self Build Architects based in Scotland, operating all over the UK.

  • Self Build
    • WHAT IS A SELF BUILD? – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
    • ‘INTRODUCTION TO SELF BUILDING’ EBOOK
    • How to find a Self Build Plot
    • Self Build Construction Methods
    • Financing Your Self Build
    • Site Insurance, Structural Warranty & Legal Expenses
    • Setting Timescales For Your Self Build
    • Designing An Energy Efficient Self Build
    • What Is SIPS Construction?
    • Log Homes
    • Home Design: A Step-By-Step Guide To Designing Your Dream Home
    • SELF BUILD WITH ACA
  • Portfolio
  • Services
    • ONLINE DESIGN CONSULTATION
    • SELF BUILD HOMES WITH AC ARCHITECTS
    • PASSIVE HOUSE DESIGN & CERTIFICATION
    • HOUSE EXTENSIONS
    • VIRTUAL REALITY WITH ACA
    • Self Build Seminars with ACA
    • STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
    • Quantity Surveying Service with CLPM
  • About
    • ACA BACKGROUND
    • Allan Corfield
    • Meet The Team
    • Careers| Architectural jobs at ACA
    • STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
  • Self Build Blog
  • Learning Centre
  • Contact
  • Search
meet the team joanne
meet the team joanne

Meet The Team – Joanne

Tagged With: ACA Life, Architectural Technologist, Construction Professionals, Interview, Self Build04/04/2019 By Allan CorfieldLeave a Comment

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
Allan Corfield Architects. Meet the team – Joanne

Our ‘meet the team’ series focuses on our company and the people who make it great! We know that entrusting someone with the task of building your dream home is a very difficult decision to make. Therefore, we believe that you should get to know each of us and find out what makes us tick! Our reputation for great service is due, not only to our qualifications and experience – but our passion.

Today you will find out more about Joanne, a graduate Architectural Technologist who joined our team last year.

meet the team JoanneLast year our team was strengthened by another talented Technologist – Joanne. She originally graduated in 1991 with a B.Ed. in Primary Education and worked in several schools in Scotland and England until 1997, whereupon she took an extended career break to raise her 3 children.

The moves were associated with her husband’s employment, which also led them to spending 4 enjoyable and interesting years in Calgary, Canada. During this time, she developed an interest in interior design and, subsequently, architecture.

On her return to Scotland, she commenced studying a B.Sc. in Architectural Technology at Edinburgh Napier University, in preparation for returning to employment once her children left home. Read our interview below to get to know her better.

Joanne is the first (of hopefully many) who joined ACA’s Graduate programme, led by Senior Technician David Macfarlane & Allan Corfield. The 2 year in-house training programme, gives recent graduates an opportunity to gain vital, on the job experience.

meet the team joanne

 I UNDERSTAND THAT ARCHITECTURE WAS NOT YOUR FIRST PROFESSION AND YOU PREVIOUSLY WORKED AS A PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER. COULD YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT WHY YOU DECIDED TO CHANGE TO A CAREER IN ARCHITECTURE? 

I was a primary teacher many years ago, prior to having my children, so it’s been a long process to finding my way into architecture. I was a ‘stay-at-home mum’ for around 20 years and in that time I dabbled in many interests and courses, one of the most influential being an interior design course. It was while doing this, and various house renovations, that I realized I really enjoyed the designing of spaces.

When planning what I wanted to do when my children left home I discovered a degree course at Edinburgh Napier University, BSc Architectural Technology, which offered a fantastic combination of the design and theory of architecture and construction. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and by doing it part-time, over 6 years, it brought me to this point; when my children were looking to their own futures and I was ready to embark on my new career path.

meet the team joanne

A QUICK SUMMARY OF YOUR CAREER AFTER YOU GRADUATED UNTIL YOU JOINED ACA (STUDIES, PROJECTS, PLACEMENTS, JOBS).

I graduated in June 2017 and secured my first job with Assist Design in January 2018. Having never worked in an office environment before, my experience at Assist Design was instrumental in teaching me the ways of an office as much as introducing me to the processes of an architectural practice.

I gained invaluable experience in working up the drawings for their current projects within the residential care home sector and becoming more familiar with the building regulations for such projects.

WHY DID YOU WANT TO WORK AT ACA? 

Having lived in generic new build homes all my life, and bringing up my own family in such homes, I realised the limitations they invariably pose to family living. As a result, I wanted to work in this area with the hopes of making a difference by using my experience and new found skills.

I came across ACA as part of my desire to build my own home one day and was inspired by their work in the sustainable self-build industry. I really wanted to work with them; to learn all I could from their expertise, but also to hopefully offer my own experiences and opinions one day to the clients, whom they work closely with.

meet the team joanne

WHAT, IN YOUR OPINION, IS ACA’S STRENGTHS AS AN ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE?

I believe ACA are experts in the area of self-build and what’s amazing is that they willingly want to share this expertise. They freely give out information about how to do a self-build and use as many social media forums as they can in order to teach people.

This helps to take the mystery and fear out of the process and should help promote this aspect of the housing market.

DO YOU LIKE WORKING IN DESIGNING RESIDENTIAL ONE-OFF HOMES? WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SELF BUILDING? 

I love working in designing residential one-off homes. I find it exciting and challenging; exciting that a client can determine what’s important to them in creating their perfect home, and then challenging to design that dream following the relevant building standards. It’s like solving a puzzle!

I like the flexibility that self-build can offer clients. Everyone has a different opinion of what makes a good home, what looks attractive and the spatial arrangement can vary because every family works differently. For these reasons, working in the self-build sector is fun, exciting and challenging.

WANT TO STAY UPDATED WITH SELF BUILDING?

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SELF BUILDING

SUBSCRIBE ME!

DO YOU PURSUE YOUR ARCHITECTURAL INTERESTS WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT WORK IN ANY WAY?

When time permits, I try to go to CPD events, many of them organized by CIAT (Chartered Institute of Technologists) of which I’m a member, in order to keep up to date with the latest technologies. In fact, it was at an event about CLT (cross laminated timber), that I first met Allan (Corfield)! I also subscribe to various magazines from the industry and when I’m on holiday (and my family allows me to) I like to go on architectural tours of the places I’m in.

I had an enjoyable tour of Toronto the last time I was there and I particularly enjoyed visiting Villa La Roche, by Corbusier, the last time I was in Paris. I had studied this building in depth during my degree.

meet the team joanne

TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT WORK. WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

Having spent many years in and around the home, I have had the opportunity to pursue many interests. Currently, I am part of a book group, sewing bee, St. Michael’s Church of Scotland and the local netball team, the Linlithgow Flyers.

Crazily, I also decided to learn to play the trumpet when I started my degree and I have recently transitioned from the Linlithgow Reed’s Training Band to the Main Band and I am looking forward to taking part in their numerous engagements in the coming year, none more so than marching from 7am until 5pm on Linlithgow Marches Day in June!

Read more about our team members in our Meet The Team series below:

  • Meet the team – Cameron
  • Meet the team – David
  • Meet the team – Iga
  • Meet the team – Jillian

If you have any questions for Joanne feel free to contact her on joanne@acarchitects.biz.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE SELF BUILD EBOOK!

Are you considering building your own self-build dream home? If so, download our free ‘introduction to self building’ ebook.

DOWNLOAD
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

Related Posts

  • meet the team jillian
    Meet The Team - Jillian

  • meet the team jillian
    Meet The Team - Jillian

  • Cameron Meet the team
    Meet The Team - Cameron

Filed Under: ACA Team, Blog

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Footer

Allan Corfield Architects Ltd |
The North – Lewis House, Unit 213 East Way,
Hillend Industrial Estate, Hillend, Dunfermline, FIFE, KY11 9JF

The South – National Self Build & Renovation Centre
Lydiard Fields, Great Western Way, Swindon SN5 8UB

T 03333 444217 | E info@acarchitects.biz

Type and Press “enter” to Search

 

  • Self Build
  • Portfolio
  • Services
  • About
  • Self Build Blog
  • Learning Centre
  • Contact
  • Search

Copyright © 2018 | Website Design by Jammy Digital

Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}