20 VIEWS
ASK THE ARCHITECT
Damien Lee of WGP Architects answers ADF’s questions about what drives him, and how he has tackled the challenges posed by the pandemic
Damien Lee
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME AN ARCHITECT?
I grew up with architecture in the blood. I was fortunate to travel for holidays in Europe as a child with parents (one of whom was an architect) who opened my eyes to my surroundings, and started the process of teaching me to look. My mother jokes that if my father had lived until I was older, he might have put me off architecture because he knew first-hand what a tough profession it was – blissful ignorance is often the best way to start!
WHAT ARE THE BEST AND WORST THINGS ABOUT PRACTICING IN LONDON?
The worst things about working in London (and the UK) – the restrictive, almost stifling controls over development – are what drives one of the best things: the ingenuity and creativity of the responses.
HOW HAVE YOU ADJUSTED TO NEW WAYS OF WORKING DURING THE PANDEMIC?
Responding to this question at what appears to be approaching the height of Covid’s second surge, and being one half of a working couple, holding together home school and professional roles, I am finding it a long haul. There is no doubt that the
WWW.ARCHITECTSDATAFILE.CO.UK DISRUPTING THE TRADITIONAL CARE HOME MODEL WGP Architects’ contemporary scheme in Southwark has a fabric-first approach and “slick” interiors
new skills we have learnt in the last year are helping us be more effective this time round, and it will be interesting to see how the changes influence work habits in the post-pandemic future. However, for me, nothing compares to the buzz of working together in a creative environment – I cannot wait to get back into the studio!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SECTOR TO DESIGN FOR CURRENTLY? I believe the skills of good architects are transferable between sectors, and transcend the trend toward professional specialisation. Involvement in a range of sectors keeps things fresh and stimulating. This approach accepts a reliance on the specialist knowledge of the consultant team to deliver excellent buildings, but buildings are so complicated that this is inevitable even for those that limit themselves to a specialisation. My time at Eric Parry Architects has given me a broad spectrum of experience, including residential developments, schools, and commercial developments. At WGP I am enjoying a
change of diet, including a push to advance the quality of design in the care home sector – a typology that I feel has not received the attention it deserves.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO JOIN WGP?
I had known (directors) Phil Waind and Sonya Gohil for a long time, and had admired what they, and partner James Potter, had achieved – building up the firm from nothing over the last 15 years. They have plans to expand to the next level, and saw me as having the experience of a larger practice, and design pedigree, to help them achieve that goal. After more than 14 years at Eric Parry I was ready to spread my wings. It’s not the sort of offer that comes up often, so I took the leap.
DO YOU ENJOY GETTING INVOLVED WITH SUBCONTRACTORS ON SCHEMES TO GET THE DETAILS RIGHT?
I find working with and learning from the craftspeople and technicians who are at the
ADF FEBRUARY 2021
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
