About

I am keen in exploring heritage and conservation architecture from a design-led and artistic perspective, always pushing for creative and inventive solutions. Further to my Part II studies at Manchester School of Architecture, I joined Purcell’s team working on the £330m refurbishment of the Grade I Listed Manchester Town Hall. The project is the largest heritage project currently being developed in the UK. My role has been key in defining suitable uses for the building and is now focussing on fit out strategy.

Experience

Architect at Purcell: 10/2020 – Present
Part 2 Architectural Assistant at Purcell: 08/2017 – 10/2020, Manchester, UK; I am currently a full time member of the team working on the £330m
refurbishment of the Grade I Listed Manchester Town Hall. From RIBA Stage 1 to RIBA Stage 5 (present).; From the beginning of the project my main involvement has been with the Fit Out and the MEP Coordination teams. I saw the development of the design from strategic definition to technical design. I am regularly liaising with the rest of the Design Team, on architectural and MEP coordination to further develop the fit-out for the building. I am leading, with the support of a Senior Architect, the Mock Up Rooms package, which is testing the key aspects of the scheme, such as design, buildability, cost, quality and expectations management.
: Due to the public nature of the project there is an intrinsic requirement to commit to Social Value goals. I have an important role as part of Purcell’s social value commitment and established strong ties with Manchester School of Architecture (MSA) and University of Salford (UoS) to create opportunities of engagement using the town hall as a driving tool.
I am a mentor for a final year BA Architecture student for the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Building Trust ‘ Building Futures’ programme.

Research Methods Workshop Tutor at Manchester School of Architecture: 10/2019-01/2020 Manchester, UK; Assisted full time academic staff in successfully delivering the MArch Research Methods module titled ‘Remember Reveal Construct’, which was a case study based research-through-modelmaking project. The outcome of the students work will also become part of a book by Sally Stone and Laura Sanderson due to be published by Routledge in 2021.

Design Studio Guest Tutor at Manchester School of Architecture: 10/2017-05/2019 Manchester, UK; Regular design studio guest tutor, including for formal crits, for USE Atelier 3rd Year BA Architecture ran by Becky Sobell.

Fellowship Venice Architecture Biennale at British Council: 09/2016-10/2016, Venice, Italy; I was selected by the British Council to take part in the 2016 Venice Biennale Fellowship program and work for a month as a stewardess in the British pavilion and carried out a small research revolving around the concept of the authenticity of Venice. The idea for the research piece stemmed from a very pure and intimate experience of the city, which albeit being on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list, is at risk of removal due to excessive disrespectful tourism.

Architectural Assistant (one day a week) at Purcell: 10/2015-07/2016, Manchester, UK; Having moved from London to Manchester to progress with my Part 2 studies, I was given the opportunity to work on a one day a week basis in Purcell’s Manchester office. Due to the nature of the one day a week employment, I worked on many small elements of different projects, including planning application drawings for a Grade II Listed cottage in Wales and concept drawings for turning the derelict Caernarfon Island Site, in North Wales, into an artisan quarter.

Part 1 Architectural Assistant at Purcell: 07/2014 – 07/2015, London, UK; Working within a team formed by an Associate and a newly qualified Architect on several different projects, the main ones being:
-The redevelopment of Battersea Power Station consisting in monitoring the repairs to the heritage significant fabric of the Grade II* Listed building.
-The development of an initial masterplan for Drapers’ Hall, Grade II* Listed building with Livery Hall in the City of London. Further to the masterplan the creation of several smaller scale feasibility studies to enhance the efficiency of the building and the development alongside a garden designer of a proposal to re-model the listed garden.
-The refurbishment of a Grade II* Listed mixed-use Georgian property in Holborn, consisting in developing initial proposals for the client and monitoring the planning application process and structural investigations.
-Feasibility study to submit alongside an HLF funding request for Watford Museum, Grade II Listed building.
-CPD coordinator of the office.

Architecture and Environmental Design Course Ambassador at Sheffield Hallam University: 09/2013 – 06/2014 Sheffield, UK

-Running of Forgotten Spaces Young Creatives workshops.
-Open Days.
-Portfolio Interviews.

Work Experience: Architectural Assistant at Dott Arch Guido Torri: 08/2013 – 09/2013 Merano, ITA

Assisted the architect on the refurbishment of a Neo-Gothic (early 1900) residential Listed building. Developed basic design for a terrace and bridge connecting main building to a secondary bungalow.

Education

ADDPA Advanced Diploma in Professional Practice in Architecture (ARB/RIBA Part 3) at RIBA North: 01/2019-10/2020 Chester, UK

MArch Architecture (ARB/RIBA Part 2) at Manchester School of Architecture: 09/2015-06/2017 Manchester, UK; Grade achieved: Distinction


BSc(Hons) Architecture and Environmental Design (ARB/RIBA Part 1) at Sheffield Hallam University: 09/2011 – 06/2014 Sheffield, UK; Grade achieved: 2:1



Diploma di Maturità Classica at Liceo Classico “Giosuè Carducci”: 09/2005 – 07/2011 Merano, ITA

Grade achieved: 94/100

Awards

2018: – Purcell Student of the Year Award [Winner] for an individual who has made a difference to people, a community or the environment through their dedication, understanding or their skills; – Our Town Hall Social Value Star Award [Joint Winner] for an individual who has embraced social value and delivered real outcomes in support of Manchester.

2017: -Mecanoo B.15 Modelmaking Award – 3rd Prize, Manchester School of Architecture; Awarded for continued use of model making and the quality of a final presentation model for a joint thesis project with Daniel Kirkby, based in Berlin’s Kulturforum.
: -RIBA Silver Medal Nominee, Manchester School of Architecture; Manchester School of Architecture RIBA Silver Medal nominee for a joint thesis project with Daniel Kirkby based in Berlin’s Kulturforum.; -3DReid Student Prize Nominee, Manchester School of Architecture for a joint thesis project with Daniel Kirkby based in Berlin’s Kulturforum.
2013

RIBA Polyark III: Polyport, RIBA and Roma Tre University

Skills

AutoCAD 2D/3D
Revit
Sketchup
Photoshop
InDesign
illustrator (basic)
Microsoft Office
PC/MAC proficient
Modelmaking
Sketching
Photography
Conservation
Sustainability
Italian (native)
English (fluent)
German (intermediate)

Exhibitions

22 March 2019 — 26 May 2019 UnDoing by James Ackerley, Nazgol Ansarinia, Tom Dale, Connor + Darby, Malcolm Fraser, MAP Studio, Manchester School of Architecture, Abigail Reynolds, Larissa Sansour, Adrien Tirtiaux, and Sarah Westphal at Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, UK View website here.
June 2017: The Hidden Secrets by KHBT LLP part of London Festival of Architecture at KHBT Studio 3 Newman Passage, London, UK; View website here.
June 2017: Manchester School of Architecture End of Year Show at Manchester School of Architecture, Manchester, UK; View Catalogue here. Pages: 222-223.
June 2016: Making Post-War Manchester at Oxford House, Manchester, UK; View website here.; View Catalogue here.; Press: The Guardian. Manchester Evening News.
June 2016: Manchester School of Architecture End of Year Show at Manchester School of Architecture, Manchester, UK
October 2015: Manchester Urban Pioneers at Urbane Künste Ruhr, Essen, Germany; View website here.
June 2014: Architecture and Environmental Design End of Year Show at Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK
June 2013: Architecture and Environmental Design End of Year Show at Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK

References

On request.