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ASK THE ARCHITECT
Alia Beyg of Aqua Architecture answers ADF’s questions on running a ‘niche’ practice, and what the future might hold for her firm
WHY DID YOU BECOME AN ARCHITECT? From a young age I loved to draw, and I became fascinated by design, so a career in architecture allowed me to do what excites me. Furthermore, architecture that improves the environment for everyone – regardless of socio-economic status – really resonates with me.
Alia Beyg of Aqua Architecture
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT THE JOB? Creative and ‘out of the box’ thinking is my favourite part of our design process. The Aqua design team and I work meticulously on our layouts and designs to enhance what we create, working to improve both user experience and net value. We translate that into our practice’s mission, which is to maximise value with efficiency and smart design. Our Herringswell Gym residential conversion, in Suffolk, is a good example of where we have added value and maximised the design efficiency through changes to the layout and planning of the approved scheme. This timber-cladded conversion of a gym building has been further enhanced by incorporating green strategies, such as a courtyard garden, green terraces, and bat homes.
WHAT IS THE HARDEST PART OF YOUR JOB RUNNING A ‘NICHE’ PRACTICE? Creating exciting architecture has always been the company backdrop, however integrating creativity into basic low budget
I believe good communication and coordination is a key focus in my daily work life, not only for our clients but also for the benefit of the end users
projects can often be a challenge. We overcome this through our design process, which starts with creative exploration of ideas to determine the best proposal within the project context. Despite limitations from commercial boundaries, we manage to make each project unique, with its own brief. As a result, our practice has been fortunate enough to take forward a wide range of project types within the residential and mixed-use sectors.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MODUS OPERANDI AS AN MD? I always like to encourage teamwork and innovative thinking. Creating design excellence is never an individual task, hence why I collaborate, advise and mentor the teams around me, in order to create collective solutions. Without input from my associates and colleagues, the proposals would not evolve to their full potential and utilise all the talent of the workforce. As a result of this, I believe good communication
Herringswell Gym, Suffolk © Aqua Architecture
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK
ADF DECEMBER 2020
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