Tom Partridge

Personal Statement

I graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University in 2010, where I studied for my Postgraduate Diploma in Architecture (RIBA Pt.2) and I completed my Undergraduate Degree in Architecture (RIBA Pt.1) at the Liverpool School of Architecture, University of Liverpool in 2006.

Outside of University I have gained invaluable experience in practice, working with clients, associated professions and local authorities. The projects I have been involved in have enabled me to work on a 1-to-1 basis with clients, i.e. with residential projects, and I have also gained experience working within team environments on much larger commercial projects and competitions.

Before I started studying Architecture I always had a keen interest in art and design, which coupled with a wide range of on-site experience working in construction from a young age, meant that Architecture was a natural choice for me.

I am fascinated by both, the design concept, as well as the detail and materiality of architectural design.

In October 2011, I felt that it was time for a short sabbatical and decided to travel for a while, starting in Peru, South America. I made my way south to Chile, via Argentina and Bolivia, then flew to New Zealand and Australia, and on to India via Nepal eventually landing back in Manchester 2 years later. I found the whole experience typically horizon-broadening, though also focus-narrowing.

Having returned to the UK (and though presently in employment) my goal is to embark upon my career in architecture. I am a motivated, driven person and I would love the opportunity to put my skills and experience into practice.

If you feel that I may be a suitable addition to your practice, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Chapel Rd, Alderly Edge 2008 Single-storey rear extensión.

CV

Experience (reverse chronological order)

TICKETING INVENTORY ANALYST Byrom Plc – Manchester, UK AUG 2013 – Current Employer

The title of this role “Ticketing Inventory Analyst”, leaves little to the imagination. It gives an acute description to a position that requires a wide set of skills, and encompasses a plethora of responsibilities, whilst simultaneously summing it up in a nutshell.

Working predominantly with FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and Arena Group, as well as many other organisations and committees we are presently working towards delivery of the World Cup (2014) in Brazil.

My role requires a good understanding of architectural drawings and software, as well as an ability to plan, project manage and work under pressure to very tight deadlines. We take surveyed information and/or the architects drawings of stadiums, and try determine the layout of the seating plans, creating a stock which can then be implemented into Byrom’s ticketing system. We also create various drawings to help determine access solutions, and communicate seating sectors within the stadium for all of the various groups (i.e. commercial affiliates). The planning, and attention to detail has to be meticulous and triple-check procedures are implemented at every step to verify the validity of information.

Salvador Stadium ‘Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova’ Gate Flow Proposal (2013)

AUSTRALIA

DELIVERY DRIVER Unger Catering – Melbourne, Australia AUG 2012 – Current Employer Deliverying kosher food for airline meals, the elderly and functions in and around Melbourne.

FARM HAND Bush’s Banana Farm – Tully, North Queensland MAR – AUG 2012

Working on the banana farm was something I had never previously envisaged myself doing, though it proved to be one of the most enjoyable jobs I have ever had. Working outside in the paddocks with the native wildlife and a great crew of locals, who taught me some fantastic skills I’ll probably never need again in my life. Taking part in this regional work is a requirement of the Australian Government to qualify for a 2nd year visa, which I am due to start at the beginning of February.

Photograph of a paddock on Bush’s Banana Farm Tully, Queensland, Australia (2012)

Photograph from La Dia De Los Muertos, Cusco, Peru (2011)

SOUTH AMERICA

VOLUNTEER Sembrandos Semillas Con Yoga – Cusco, Peru OCT – NOV 2011 www.sembrandosemillasconyoga.org

Sembrandos Semillas Con Yoga is an organisation set-up by an Austrian man and a Peruvian woman in order to help children and build a sustainable self-sufficient community in the hills surrounding Cusco. The project was only started in 2010 and by the time I arrived in October 2011, I could already see it was becoming successful. The project runs on donations and volunteer work, our duties were predominantly to sew crops in the morning, and work the land, and in the afternoon we would work with the local children, teaching them english, maths and art classes. I also had the opportunity to put my skills to use in building a greenhouse and shade area for the crops, and on leaving, me and a friend (a mechanical engineer graduate) gave the founders designs for a water recycling and irrigation system as well as some money to start construction on it.

UK

LOGISTICAL OPERATIONS MANAGER / GRAPHIC DESIGNER Posh Frocks & Wellies – Chester, UK JUN 2010 – SEP 2011 (Full-time) www.poshfrocksandwellies.co.uk

Posh Frocks & Wellies is a new marquee hire company based in the Northwest England.

BAR MANAGER The Warehouse Project – Manchester, UK SEP 2010 – SEP 2011 (Part-time) www.thewarehouseproject.com

The Warehouse Project is a club/festival in Manchester. The main event runs at weekends from September until January 1st (12 weeks) each year, and takes place within a re-appropriated war bunker underneath Piccadilly Train Station in the centre of Manchester. Every weekend the bars and stages are constructed from the ground up on a Friday from around 5pm, and by 9pm the car park has become an event space, in the early hours of Sunday morning the space returns its use to a car park. The events require a huge amount of logistical strategy, organisation and man-power. Working for The Warehouse Project was an incredibly rewarding opportunity, every weekend involved a huge amount of energy and motivation, but at the end of it the results were incredible and everybody always had a fantastic time, clients and staff alike.

FREELANCE GRAPHIC DESIGNER Manchester, UK SEP 2010 – JUL 2011 (Spare-time)

Whilst living in Manchester and looking for architectural work, I found work as a freelance graphic designer, rather successfully, as I already had some experience providing promotional flyers and posters for bars and club nights, etc. Quite quickly I found myself with a steady flow of work, providing flyers and posters for many promoters around the city but also providing menues and promotional ítems for restaurant and bar chains.

2 Dollar Show, Promo Flyer

(2010)

Diggle Barn, Diggle, Greater Manchester

Staircase Design (2007)

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER WhiteBox Architecture – Manchester, UK JUN 07 – SEP 08 www.whiteboxarchitecture.com

Working at WhiteBox Architecture was a fantastic opportunity, following over 12 months of experience at 2 other practices I was able to get straight into my role within the company. Here I was able to be much more creative with my projects, as the company’s main drive was creative architecture. I found that we would put much more into the projects, from the very start during conceptualising the designs, to finishing the end product and attention to detail – something I believe in strongly. Personally I feel I am a very strong conceptual designer, though I also have a very keen interest and fascination with the detail in design. Before studying architecture I worked as an apprentice joiner, and gained a lot of on-site experience as well as developing a fascination for materials and materiality. I think my practical experience of using tools and materials greatly benefits me so that when I’m drawing lines on paper I’m thinking literally as to what those lines represent and how those materials behave.

My work at WhiteBox was predominantly residential, which involved many projects which I ran myself and had my own clients. Though I also gained experience working on much larger commercial projects, offices and retail space, in which I would work with the Principle Architect (Phillip Armstrong) in producing 3D models, planning interior spaces and designing facades.

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER Derek Hicks & Thew Architects – Kendal, UK JUL 06 – JUN 07 www.dhtvarley.co.uk

Working for Derek Hicks & Thew allowed me to gain some invaluable experience. Due to some confusion in administration, when I arrived for the interview at their office, they had expected a middle-aged fully qualified architect, however they got me – 21 years old, 3 months in practice and 3 years at Uni. They decided to continue with the interview anyway, and in the end decided to offer me a position. The first month or so was very hard work, as I was working in the capacity of a fully qualified architect, whilst having assistance and my work overlooked by one of the directors. Very quickly I found myself working alone with clients, engineers and planning authorities in trying to develop designs. An interesting aspect of working in Cumbria / The Lake District, is everything is within a Conservation Area, which means that nearly all designs fall under the juristiction of the Conservation Officer and have very strict rules about the materials used and the overall aesthetic of a building, so you need to be even more creative to brings concepts through to the final design.

Knipe Fold, Ambleside, Cumbria, UK Modernisation of a 600 year old cottage

(2006)

GNT Chip Shop, Great Northern Tower, Central Manchester Contemporary design for a new Chip-Shop in central MCR.

ARCHITECTURAL ASSISTANT Andy Foster Architects - Chester, UK MAR 06 – JUL 06 www.andyfosterarchitects.com

I was fortunate enough to get this first experience within an architectural practice via a tutor who was visiting Liverpool University whilst I was a student there. The tutor, Andy Foster, who is an architect and an engineer had given us a project, to design a tensile suspension structure, and based on the strength of my design had asked if I would like to work with him in his office. Here I was given my first few, very small projects, and assisted with various planning application etc. Unfortunately when I finished University he did not have enough work to be able to offer me a full-time position, so I decided to apply elsewhere.

Software

I have had a great deal of experience in using AutoCAD, for both 2D and 3D drawings and images, I’m also very competent with SketchUp and V-Ray, which I mostly use for creating photo-realistic renders of projects. For presentation and design purposes I use Adobe Creative Suite – Photoshop, Illustrator and In Design, and I also have experience in multimedia editing using Adobe Premier and Final Cut. Other software I have had experience using whilst in practice include Vectorworks Architect and Revit Architecture, and I also practiced using Rhino 3D whilst studying for my undergraduate degree. When it comes to learning a new program I never have any reservations and I am confident I will be comfortable and competent within no time at all.

Education

POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN ARCHITECTURE (RIBA Pt.2) Leeds Metropolitan University – Leeds, UK SEP 08 – SEP 10

BA(Hons) ARCHITECTURE (RIBA Pt.1) Liverpool School of Architecture, The University of Liverpool – Liverpool, UK SEP 03 – JUN 06

References

DR. CLAIRE HANNIBAL Senior Lecturer, Architecture

Leeds Metropolitan University Broadcasting Place, Arts Building, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9EN

England +44 (0) 113 81 24071 office

c.hannibal@leedsmet.ac.uk

KIM O’BRIEN Staff and Operations Manager

The Warehouse Project 17 Burton Place, Castlefield,

Manchester M15 4PT| England

+44 (0) 1618 353500 office kim@thewarehouseproject.com

JUDE I’ANSON Ticketing Inventory Manager

Byrom Plc Seamos House, Brooks Drive, Cheadle, Cheshire – SK8 3SA

England +44 (0) 870 755 3007

jude.ianson@match-ticketing.com

Work Examples

CHAPEL ROAD Alderley Edge, Manchester, UK WhiteBox Architecture

A single-storey rear extension to a large 5 bedroom, semi-detached Victorian house.

The clients wanted a contemporary design for their new sun-room to contrast with their solid red-brick house. The concept behind

the project was that once the dark blacky-blue of the Cubrian slate, was disected it revealed soft and “fleshy” orange insides. The

detail design of this project was by far the most enjoyable aspect of the design process.

A PLACE FOR CEREMONY High Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, UK

Postgraduate Degree in Architecture, Leeds Metropolitan University

This is a university project, in which we were able to decide our own brief. I asked the question “Where should secular

ceremonies be held?” as I do not feel it is appropriate for weddings & funerals to be held in religious buildings if the people

concerned are not of that faith. This project was a study into spiritual architecture, and what it is that gives a space the gravitas

required to deem it suitable for ceremony.

KNIPE FOLD Ambleside, Cumbria, UK Derek Hicks & Thew Architects (Kendal) Ltd

Modernisation of 600 year old agricultural workers cottage.

The client had bought this tiny cottage with the hope of modernising it and letting it as a holiday cottage. With various grants from the government and local authorities we were also able to help the client turn this into a very green and environmentally friendly cottage, using solar power, ground source heating and super insulating the walls.

PICKLE’S FIELD Milnthorpe, Cumbria, UK

Derek Hicks & Thew Architects (Kendal) Ltd.

A single storey rear extension. This was one of the first projects I ever completed, and despite it initially seeming very simple, it

soon grew and grew in complexity. We were building between the rear of the house and a retaining party wall and the ground

survey showed the ground to be very soft.

I had to work very closely with engineers and planners to resolve party wall issues, including rain water disposal and sharing of

responsibility of maintenance of the wall. As the ground was soft sand a local engineering firm had to be brought in to provide a

mini-piling solution with a ground-beam to support the foundations.

The solution is detailed to the right.