By Neil Turner, Director, Howarth Litchfield.
Occasionally in life I am sure we all ask what would have happened if we had made different choices or taken different exams at school.
It’s a question I never ask, so maybe I have never needed to ask it. Nonetheless, an interesting question is does a job define us in life or do we define what we do?
For my part, I love the variety of the architecture profession and the massive range of people, skills and talents that I come across. I get to engage in a huge cross section of industries, sectors and life stories. Our busy practice works across so many specialist sectors that I can be discussing design and construction with anyone from managing directors, professors and politicians to bricklayers, craftsmen and end users. Each person brings their own unique perspective on my design.
I first became interested in this career when my parents built a house extension and I followed around the builders for a summer – going to collect materials in their van! Blimey you couldn’t do that now, but it was great fun watching the building emerge from the architect’s drawings.
I went to university to study without really knowing what I was undertaking, other than a determination to qualify. A sevenyear course – a mammoth commitment in time when there are other shorter courses leading to more lucrative and simpler lives.
But this job does give you excitement and enjoyment, the ability to draw and design, create new things, alter existing buildings and be constantly challenged.
There are of course the down sides, which come with every challenging job, but life is about dealing with this and making a successful design even when the odds are against you.
I am often asked what my favourite building is, but the answer is always ‘the last one’, as that is where you have most recently invested your energy and efforts and now, as ever, will be moving onto the latest challenge.
So, architecture is great, frustrating, hard work and immensely satisfying in equal measure.
I have probably avoided my initial question. Certainly, this vocation does absorb you and I wonder what else would give the same level of satisfaction. The role is constantly changing as technology, legislation and society changes its position on what it wants, expects and desires.
When I was younger, I thought about car design and I am still fascinated by the beauty of cars through the ages. I did consider law, but a left handed artist is somewhat limited in law opportunities. So, my summer spent ‘helping the builders’ marked the start of my life journey.
I have been fortunate to follow one career path rather than several and even now, new opportunities open up, requiring new skills and knowledge. How many people can say that in one week they have worked on a listed house, factory, medical centre, listed railway station restoration, a new bridge, a hunting lodge and a castle garden/theatre?
So, even with its challenges and sometimes, setbacks, I can confidently say I am happy to keep running in this crazy, mad vocation called architecture!
Neil Turner, Director, Howarth Litchfield can be contacted on 0191 384 9470 or email n.turner@hlpuk.com
www.howarthlitchfield.com