Renovating
Design Students, Meet Your Mentors
Heard about our design and architecture student mentorship programme? Read on to meet just some of our great mentors
If you’re thinking of applying to take part in the Houzz student mentorship programme this year, here’s where you can find out a little bit more about the sorts of professionals you could be paired with. They’re all busy, successful people who are keen to share some of their experience with the next generation of design talent. Could that be you? (Don’t know about the programme? Whaaaaat? Head here to get all the details – you have until the end of July to apply.)
Meet…
Mufajel Chowdhury of Concept 8 Architects
Student life
Chowdhury studied for his RIBA Part 1 and Part 2 at Manchester University. Originally from Bangladesh, he was classed as a foreign student, meaning he had to self-fund, and so worked throughout his two degrees. This, though, he says, was a blessing in disguise. “I found that if you get your foot in the door earlier, it helps your career down the track.”
While studying, he worked for a couple of practices, one specialising in residential design and the second in education. Here, he worked on a number of school and college projects and they kept him on to complete his Part 3, his professional qualification, after he’d finished his MA.
Setting up solo
Chowdhury’s decision to go it alone came partly from frustration at not having free rein to do the work he was passionate about. Keen to broaden his horizons, he moved to Pascall+Watson who, at the time, were working on Heathrow’s Terminal 5. “I was really interested to work in aviation,” he says.
He was also interested in residential work and tried to set up a new department. “But I was quite young, comparatively,” he says, “and when that didn’t materialise, I decided to go it alone and set up my own practice. I was out there, bringing in the work, and thought, I’m doing all this anyway, how hard can it be? I set up with two people to whom I could only promise six months’ salary, but they took the leap. And that was the start of Concept 8. We’ve been going for six years now, have added to the team, and still have regular clients from those early days.”
Mufajel Chowdhury of Concept 8 Architects
Student life
Chowdhury studied for his RIBA Part 1 and Part 2 at Manchester University. Originally from Bangladesh, he was classed as a foreign student, meaning he had to self-fund, and so worked throughout his two degrees. This, though, he says, was a blessing in disguise. “I found that if you get your foot in the door earlier, it helps your career down the track.”
While studying, he worked for a couple of practices, one specialising in residential design and the second in education. Here, he worked on a number of school and college projects and they kept him on to complete his Part 3, his professional qualification, after he’d finished his MA.
Setting up solo
Chowdhury’s decision to go it alone came partly from frustration at not having free rein to do the work he was passionate about. Keen to broaden his horizons, he moved to Pascall+Watson who, at the time, were working on Heathrow’s Terminal 5. “I was really interested to work in aviation,” he says.
He was also interested in residential work and tried to set up a new department. “But I was quite young, comparatively,” he says, “and when that didn’t materialise, I decided to go it alone and set up my own practice. I was out there, bringing in the work, and thought, I’m doing all this anyway, how hard can it be? I set up with two people to whom I could only promise six months’ salary, but they took the leap. And that was the start of Concept 8. We’ve been going for six years now, have added to the team, and still have regular clients from those early days.”
Toughest challenges in building a business?
“Getting the right people. Being a small practice – we’re 10 to 11 in size – means anyone who comes in can impact on the whole team. Our track record has grown now and our offices are better, so it’s easier to attract the best candidates, but at first we struggled,” he says.
Another challenge has been getting the right balance between design-led and commercial projects. “The latter pay the bills, but may not be anything any of us get too excited about,” he explains, “while the design-led projects – perhaps for private clients who may not have the budget – are often more intense and may not be the most cost-effective, but are important to take on. It’s also the direction we want to go in as a firm. You have to have both. The dream is to have commercial projects that are also design-led. But you build up to that.”
Steepest learning curve when starting out?
“Being on site, at the rough end of work, trying to manage contractors. On the residential side they can be weak and we’re there to help them deliver some of the details we’ve designed that they are perhaps struggling to execute.”
What do you wish you’d known about the industry as a newcomer?
“I wish I’d started the company sooner. It seems overwhelming, but a bit of advice I always give everyone who comes to join us is that it’s probably not as difficult as it might appear,” he says.
“When you’re young, you see the directors who shut the door to the boardroom and you feel they’re out of reach and you can’t do what they do. But looking back, I’ve learned that’s not the case. They’re just looking at running the business, getting new work and so on, and anyone can do that with the right training. I’ve realised over my career that as long as you’re willing to work hard, there’s always a way to make things happen.”
Top tips for making an impact?
“Within a practice, offer more than you’ve been asked to do. Come up with ideas, however silly you might think they are – it’s better to have someone with opinions and ideas, so push yourself. Set your goals higher than you’re comfortable with. Don’t think, ‘Oh I need to do three to four years of this before I can do that.’ Just push – it’ll never hold you back.”
Key side skills to work on?
“Having technical experience is really important, but it’s easy just to sit at the computer, so as a junior, have the courage to say you want to get on site, to have a look at how things are put together and watch when something important happens,” he says.
“As an architect, if you have the ability to win work, you’ll also always have a safer job role than those who work in an office doing drawings. You’ll be the one they’ll hold onto more than others when things get lean. They don’t teach you that at university.”
“Getting the right people. Being a small practice – we’re 10 to 11 in size – means anyone who comes in can impact on the whole team. Our track record has grown now and our offices are better, so it’s easier to attract the best candidates, but at first we struggled,” he says.
Another challenge has been getting the right balance between design-led and commercial projects. “The latter pay the bills, but may not be anything any of us get too excited about,” he explains, “while the design-led projects – perhaps for private clients who may not have the budget – are often more intense and may not be the most cost-effective, but are important to take on. It’s also the direction we want to go in as a firm. You have to have both. The dream is to have commercial projects that are also design-led. But you build up to that.”
Steepest learning curve when starting out?
“Being on site, at the rough end of work, trying to manage contractors. On the residential side they can be weak and we’re there to help them deliver some of the details we’ve designed that they are perhaps struggling to execute.”
What do you wish you’d known about the industry as a newcomer?
“I wish I’d started the company sooner. It seems overwhelming, but a bit of advice I always give everyone who comes to join us is that it’s probably not as difficult as it might appear,” he says.
“When you’re young, you see the directors who shut the door to the boardroom and you feel they’re out of reach and you can’t do what they do. But looking back, I’ve learned that’s not the case. They’re just looking at running the business, getting new work and so on, and anyone can do that with the right training. I’ve realised over my career that as long as you’re willing to work hard, there’s always a way to make things happen.”
Top tips for making an impact?
“Within a practice, offer more than you’ve been asked to do. Come up with ideas, however silly you might think they are – it’s better to have someone with opinions and ideas, so push yourself. Set your goals higher than you’re comfortable with. Don’t think, ‘Oh I need to do three to four years of this before I can do that.’ Just push – it’ll never hold you back.”
Key side skills to work on?
“Having technical experience is really important, but it’s easy just to sit at the computer, so as a junior, have the courage to say you want to get on site, to have a look at how things are put together and watch when something important happens,” he says.
“As an architect, if you have the ability to win work, you’ll also always have a safer job role than those who work in an office doing drawings. You’ll be the one they’ll hold onto more than others when things get lean. They don’t teach you that at university.”
Meet…
Marek Schubert of Studio Schubert interior design
Student life
Schubert graduated seven years ago from Kingston University, where he studied interior design as a mature student, having enjoyed doing up a few friends’ places and his parents’ flat back home. “I came to England from Poland when I was 20,” he explains, “and it took me a few years to work out what I wanted to do in life.”
He became a painter and decorator for a while. “I’m not from an arty background, I’m from a practical background, and the job gave me great insight into how residential projects work, and [the ability] to see things from the contractors’ side.”
He’d initially wanted to study architecture, but felt he’d left it too late to complete the required five to seven years. “But I ended up doing exactly what I wanted to do – there’s still the loft conversions, extensions, Planning Permission…”
While studying, he packed in a lot of interning at several practices. Initially, the firms he worked for were focused on retail, or branding and customer experience. But Schubert’s passion was residential design and, with plenty of work experience under his belt, he eventually landed his first full-time job at luxury interior design practice Callender Howorth.
Two years’ later he was made redundant, but got another job immediately at The Furniture Union, where he was able to add new skills to his repertoire. “It was a different business model. They were working in commercial and residential and the money came mostly from supplying stuff and project management – the design was a smaller part of their revenue,” he says.
Setting up solo
Two years later, Schubert made the leap to set up on his own. “I was lucky that I’d worked for small residential businesses,” he says. The experience had taught him key skills, such as how to find good contacts, establish good relationships with suppliers, run multiple contracts at once, manage contractors and sub-contractors, and get a project delivered. “Alongside managing the expectations and budgets of the clients,” he adds. “That’s the biggest challenge.”
Marek Schubert of Studio Schubert interior design
Student life
Schubert graduated seven years ago from Kingston University, where he studied interior design as a mature student, having enjoyed doing up a few friends’ places and his parents’ flat back home. “I came to England from Poland when I was 20,” he explains, “and it took me a few years to work out what I wanted to do in life.”
He became a painter and decorator for a while. “I’m not from an arty background, I’m from a practical background, and the job gave me great insight into how residential projects work, and [the ability] to see things from the contractors’ side.”
He’d initially wanted to study architecture, but felt he’d left it too late to complete the required five to seven years. “But I ended up doing exactly what I wanted to do – there’s still the loft conversions, extensions, Planning Permission…”
While studying, he packed in a lot of interning at several practices. Initially, the firms he worked for were focused on retail, or branding and customer experience. But Schubert’s passion was residential design and, with plenty of work experience under his belt, he eventually landed his first full-time job at luxury interior design practice Callender Howorth.
Two years’ later he was made redundant, but got another job immediately at The Furniture Union, where he was able to add new skills to his repertoire. “It was a different business model. They were working in commercial and residential and the money came mostly from supplying stuff and project management – the design was a smaller part of their revenue,” he says.
Setting up solo
Two years later, Schubert made the leap to set up on his own. “I was lucky that I’d worked for small residential businesses,” he says. The experience had taught him key skills, such as how to find good contacts, establish good relationships with suppliers, run multiple contracts at once, manage contractors and sub-contractors, and get a project delivered. “Alongside managing the expectations and budgets of the clients,” he adds. “That’s the biggest challenge.”
Toughest challenges in building a business?
“At the beginning, it’s obviously a bit slow. It takes a good couple of years before momentum builds with enquiries and billing, and to understand which projects are worth taking on and which aren’t going to be cost-effective.
“Also, building a network of people you can trust to deliver what they’ve promised, whose estimates and quotes are correct. All of this can only be learned through experience.”
Steepest learning curve when starting out?
“With residential, you have to work really hard to sell interior design as a service. Clients will understand the value of products and materials, and of the building work, but they often won’t immediately appreciate the value of the design itself.
“Also with residential, the client just wants me and wants to talk to me about everything. I’ve learnt about brands of appliances, furniture, even windows, window dressings, heating and plumbing. Being a hands-on residential interior designer requires a really versatile set of skills and very broad knowledge.”
What do you wish you’d known about the industry as a newcomer?
“Ha. Different sectors of interior design are so different and I wish somebody had told me that by going into residential, a lot of my work would not be design. About half my time is project management and admin. Knowing this might have changed my direction – perhaps I’d have gone more into retail design, where there are lots of specialist teams handling the non-design work, and there’s a lot more focus on your conceptual skills and ideas.”
Top tips for making an impact?
“I’m typically the project manager as well as the interior designer. This is a must for students to have under their belts. The ability to establish good supplier/contractor relationships and manage them effectively is so central to the job. You’re a link between them and the client – if that relationship fails, you’ll have a huge problem trying to finish the project.”
“At the beginning, it’s obviously a bit slow. It takes a good couple of years before momentum builds with enquiries and billing, and to understand which projects are worth taking on and which aren’t going to be cost-effective.
“Also, building a network of people you can trust to deliver what they’ve promised, whose estimates and quotes are correct. All of this can only be learned through experience.”
Steepest learning curve when starting out?
“With residential, you have to work really hard to sell interior design as a service. Clients will understand the value of products and materials, and of the building work, but they often won’t immediately appreciate the value of the design itself.
“Also with residential, the client just wants me and wants to talk to me about everything. I’ve learnt about brands of appliances, furniture, even windows, window dressings, heating and plumbing. Being a hands-on residential interior designer requires a really versatile set of skills and very broad knowledge.”
What do you wish you’d known about the industry as a newcomer?
“Ha. Different sectors of interior design are so different and I wish somebody had told me that by going into residential, a lot of my work would not be design. About half my time is project management and admin. Knowing this might have changed my direction – perhaps I’d have gone more into retail design, where there are lots of specialist teams handling the non-design work, and there’s a lot more focus on your conceptual skills and ideas.”
Top tips for making an impact?
- Be very patient with your clients.
- Listen and understand.
- Always appreciate that if you spend a residential client’s money, it’s probably 10 years worth of their savings – you need to respect that and they need to be able to trust you.
- Be consistent. Originally I thought I didn’t have a style, but over the years it’s become apparent that I do. And it’s a good thing! It’s worth embracing that speciality, that something that makes you different.
- Invest in IT and an online presence. That’s really important these days. Your credibility will not only come from word of mouth, but from reviews, images, feedback and your online presence generally. Have a website from day one, however basic.
- Finally – work hard! I work quite a lot of hours and there’s always more to do.
“I’m typically the project manager as well as the interior designer. This is a must for students to have under their belts. The ability to establish good supplier/contractor relationships and manage them effectively is so central to the job. You’re a link between them and the client – if that relationship fails, you’ll have a huge problem trying to finish the project.”
Meet…
Alex Durao of Alex D Architects
Student life
Durao studied for his architecture degree between 1994 and 1999 in Portugal, where he also did his Masters in the refurbishment of old buildings. During his studies, Durao was invited by a teacher to work for him. “It really helped me. He had a huge amount of talent and every time I went to draw something, I’d be a bit nervous. He was a mix between an architect and an artist, and I always saw myself as a more technical person. What I learned was that I was able to be much more focused than he was and that helps me today to be more organised and committed.”
Setting up solo
Durao already had the experience of running his own business in Portugal before he moved to the UK around five years ago, after a client invited him over for a project. He liked it and decided to set up his own practice here in 2014, focusing mainly on residential with some commercial projects in the mix. “We submit 80 to 90 planning applications per year on average and we’re growing at almost 50% per year,” he says.
He’d been working for an international practice back in Portugal. “I worked with clients from all over the world, which gave me a great insight into global design and how things work differently in different countries. For example, construction methods in Portugal are completely different – everything’s built in concrete over there, which helps me if we’re doing something really contemporary over here.
“I also worked as a project manager and a construction director for many years in Portugal, which gave me a really good background in building itself.” Learning all this was really helpful for setting up his own practice, he says.
Alex Durao of Alex D Architects
Student life
Durao studied for his architecture degree between 1994 and 1999 in Portugal, where he also did his Masters in the refurbishment of old buildings. During his studies, Durao was invited by a teacher to work for him. “It really helped me. He had a huge amount of talent and every time I went to draw something, I’d be a bit nervous. He was a mix between an architect and an artist, and I always saw myself as a more technical person. What I learned was that I was able to be much more focused than he was and that helps me today to be more organised and committed.”
Setting up solo
Durao already had the experience of running his own business in Portugal before he moved to the UK around five years ago, after a client invited him over for a project. He liked it and decided to set up his own practice here in 2014, focusing mainly on residential with some commercial projects in the mix. “We submit 80 to 90 planning applications per year on average and we’re growing at almost 50% per year,” he says.
He’d been working for an international practice back in Portugal. “I worked with clients from all over the world, which gave me a great insight into global design and how things work differently in different countries. For example, construction methods in Portugal are completely different – everything’s built in concrete over there, which helps me if we’re doing something really contemporary over here.
“I also worked as a project manager and a construction director for many years in Portugal, which gave me a really good background in building itself.” Learning all this was really helpful for setting up his own practice, he says.
Toughest challenges in building a business?
“The biggest one is to get the clients. Being an architect is not like being a solicitor, where you have returning clients. Unless you’re working for developers, residential clients are for the most part one-offs, so you need to constantly strive to get recommendations and reviews, and need to constantly be out there. There’s a lot of competition and you need to show there’s a difference in what you do, otherwise people will just pick the cheapest option,” he says.
“Most of our work comes through a free first consultation at the client’s house. That’s the time you have to stand out: they’ll be meeting another two or three architects or technologists and comparing your fees. We may not be the cheapest – for example, we may have bigger overheads than someone working from home, alone, who can afford to charge half the price. So we really highlight our experience and qualifications.
“I also try to provide them with a lot of information rather than holding back, worrying they’ll take my idea to someone else. I’m not afraid to show people too much in their free consultation; I like people know we’re available to explain things and work around problems and we know what we’re doing. Then it’s up to them.”
Steepest learning curve when starting out?
“There were so many. Firstly, that I came from a family that had nothing to do with construction or architecture, meaning I had to build up my network from zero,” he says.
“You also have to constantly relearn things or learn new things. For example, I started drawing on a board; now we do everything on a computer. You have to be adaptable – you can’t just say, ‘Well, that’s how I do things.’”
What do you wish you’d known about the industry as a newcomer?
“That you can’t get rich being an architect, hahaha. Also, that it’s really good to let clients understand just how much work goes into a project before you even get to the drawings: you need to understand about construction, regulations, the implications of where the drains are – lots of things that aren’t visible to most people. You do your best to help people and when they recognise all the work you’ve put in and what a great job you’ve done, that’s a really good feeling and it’s not uncommon to become friends with quite a few clients,” he says.
Top tips for making an impact?
“People skills, though it depends. If you want to have your own practice, you definitely need them. But if you work for someone else, it’s not as important, as long as people see you’re good at what you do,” he says.
“Curiosity, if you can consider that a skill. It takes you to so many things that will touch everything, from the way you represent things to your use of new materials or new technologies. I like construction, for example, so for me it makes no sense for an architect to know nothing about construction. In my opinion, it’s better to be more technical and less ‘artist’. This, to me, is how people will gain respect for you – for your knowledge and skills rather than your ‘concept’, which can be harder for people to relate to.”
“The biggest one is to get the clients. Being an architect is not like being a solicitor, where you have returning clients. Unless you’re working for developers, residential clients are for the most part one-offs, so you need to constantly strive to get recommendations and reviews, and need to constantly be out there. There’s a lot of competition and you need to show there’s a difference in what you do, otherwise people will just pick the cheapest option,” he says.
“Most of our work comes through a free first consultation at the client’s house. That’s the time you have to stand out: they’ll be meeting another two or three architects or technologists and comparing your fees. We may not be the cheapest – for example, we may have bigger overheads than someone working from home, alone, who can afford to charge half the price. So we really highlight our experience and qualifications.
“I also try to provide them with a lot of information rather than holding back, worrying they’ll take my idea to someone else. I’m not afraid to show people too much in their free consultation; I like people know we’re available to explain things and work around problems and we know what we’re doing. Then it’s up to them.”
Steepest learning curve when starting out?
“There were so many. Firstly, that I came from a family that had nothing to do with construction or architecture, meaning I had to build up my network from zero,” he says.
“You also have to constantly relearn things or learn new things. For example, I started drawing on a board; now we do everything on a computer. You have to be adaptable – you can’t just say, ‘Well, that’s how I do things.’”
What do you wish you’d known about the industry as a newcomer?
“That you can’t get rich being an architect, hahaha. Also, that it’s really good to let clients understand just how much work goes into a project before you even get to the drawings: you need to understand about construction, regulations, the implications of where the drains are – lots of things that aren’t visible to most people. You do your best to help people and when they recognise all the work you’ve put in and what a great job you’ve done, that’s a really good feeling and it’s not uncommon to become friends with quite a few clients,” he says.
Top tips for making an impact?
- Be curious.
- Do lots of research.
- Look at what other people are doing and do better.
- Be persistent.
- Be polite – you’re dealing with people and you have to be able to be calm-headed.
- Network as much as you can and keep on top of how you can improve yourself and new technologies.
- Always try to be the best. That doesn’t mean striving to be a ‘star architect’ – but do be the best architect you can be.
“People skills, though it depends. If you want to have your own practice, you definitely need them. But if you work for someone else, it’s not as important, as long as people see you’re good at what you do,” he says.
“Curiosity, if you can consider that a skill. It takes you to so many things that will touch everything, from the way you represent things to your use of new materials or new technologies. I like construction, for example, so for me it makes no sense for an architect to know nothing about construction. In my opinion, it’s better to be more technical and less ‘artist’. This, to me, is how people will gain respect for you – for your knowledge and skills rather than your ‘concept’, which can be harder for people to relate to.”
A mentor, someone who was once in your position, but who has climbed the ladder, has experienced the rough and the smooth, and knows their industry inside out, is a hugely valuable contact to have for anyone starting out in their career.
With around 65,000 design and renovation professionals in our community, Houzz UK is a hotbed of expertise. We’ve handpicked a crack team of architects and designers keen to share their extensive knowledge with successful student applicants. Want to find out a bit more about just a handful of them?