Bill Calder - Narro, Newcastle.
Narro Associates (Narro) provides innovative, sustainable civil and structural engineering solutions across the North East, Scotland, the UK and internationally.
Founded in Edinburgh in 1986, Narro became employee-owned in 2014 and today, operates from six offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Inverness, Aberdeen and Newcastle, its first base outside Scotland. Its 100+ team delivers over 700 projects annually.
Here we speak to Bill Calder, senior associate and business development lead in the Newcastle office.
Did you always envisage a career working in and around The Built Environment?
I have always had a keen interest in architecture and design but am also very technically minded and always need to know how things work. Engineering is the career that allows these two things to be brought together. My interest in engineering comes from my interest in architecture and I feel like I am a better engineer the more I understand about the architectural vision of a project.
Tell us about your current role.
My current role is as senior associate and section leader of the Newcastle office of Narro. After joining Narro as a graduate in the Edinburgh office, I worked my way up and then got an amazing opportunity to open Narro’s first English office in Newcastle. There has been a big adjustment needed from focusing on project work to being immersed in the world of business development and all that it entails as I build the Narro brand in the region. It may seem a daunting task, but I absolutely love this side of the job and it is easy if you believe in the service and expertise you are providing.
Tell us about your team.
We have an incredible team in Narro Newcastle. Three years ago, it consisted of me alone with assistance from engineers in the other Narro offices. Very quickly it became apparent that there was a real need for more team members to cover the growing workload. Jenn was the first appointment, a senior engineer to assist in the growth and development of the office and we have steadily grown into a very tight and effective team. We’re fortunate in having staff from a variety of specialist backgrounds including conservation of historic buildings, sustainable design and Passivhaus projects as well as structural timber design.
What are you currently working on?
I have been working on a number of historic iron buildings recently including the Orchard House at Cragside and Alnwick Railway station which is the home of Barter Books. These are the types of projects that I particularly enjoy where we are working to conserve part of our built heritage and with materials that are unusual in a modern context. This involves a much more in-depth approach to the project to ensure we are treating the original fabric in a sensitive and appropriate way.
We’ve also been working on a beautiful project for a five-star hotel – a new spa and swimming pool building – which has really played to our strengths of designing in timber with a focus on sustainability and we feel privileged to have worked on the beautiful Grade I listed Church of Our Lady at Seaton Delaval Hall and St Mary’s Heritage Centre in Gateshead.
Museum projects also play a large role and we are currently working on the redevelopment of the Segedunum Roman Fort Museum and The Museum of Hartlepool. These projects are always great to work on as they combine conservation and sustainability yet also create new challenges like inventive ways to suspend or support items of the collection.
What is your proudest career achievement?
Without a doubt it is the setting up and development of the Newcastle office alongside Jenn. I’m very proud of where we stand three years later with a team of eight absolutely amazing people.
How do you see your industry evolving over the next 10 years?
I would like to start to see more of a value placed on quality of service and design and a move away from competitive tenders driving fees to rock bottom. I would really like to promote a change to this and increase clients’ understanding of the value that we and other consultants can add to a project if the fees are appropriate.
What does the future hold?
The future of the Narro brand is to further consolidate its position in the North East in the conservation, cultural and sustainability sectors. We will continue to grow and would like to extend our footprint within the North of England generally, in the future.
How do you like to unwind?
I have three young kids including one-year-old twins so there isn’t much opportunity to unwind. I generally spend my weekends keeping them busy either at football, bike rides or at National Trust sites. When I do manage a free afternoon, I will be out on my bike.
www.narroassociates.com