ONE PROJECT.

ONE PROBLEM.

ONE DAY.

You bring me a difficult detail, unresolved junction, technical question, construction issue, design problem or something a younger architect is struggling to get to grips with.

You send me some information beforehand, including your first thoughts. Then we spend a day working through it together — talking, questioning, sketching, testing ideas and looking at what might work.

The aim isn't simply to produce another drawing. It is to help solve the problem while developing the person working on it — building their technical understanding, confidence and judgement.

I've done this kind of work previously with practices including AHMM, HUT and Tim Greatrex Architects, working alongside architects at different stages of their development.

I ran a 12-person practice for 10 years, so I understand the pressures of running a practice too.

I'm not looking to impose another system or tell you how to work. I learn how your practice operates and fit in where I can be most useful.

It can be a one-off, or something you come back to when another problem needs another pair of eyes.

Although, I would add, that, to say we worked only on Technical and Detail aspects is misleading: the work we did together informed and powered the ‘Design’ and touched on almost all aspects of a project, practice and a building.

We worked in specific and intensive bursts, as I framed up certain packages and issues for him, before he handed them back to me. But again, inevitably, all issues and aspects connect and inform one another.

I recommend him to you and your practice, as an experienced and talented mentor, a supportive, nurturing and calming presence, a kind of ‘secret weapon’! 

From joinery details, to window interfaces, to wall build-ups, to complex envelope assemblies – and so on

It felt genuinely collaborative. But gave me the confidence to take ownership – and “own the lines”.

Completing Part 2, my design ambitions were more macro over micro.

Scott’s mentoring made me want to zoom into the detail, and develop a rigorous / methodical approach to detailing buildings.

Now, Some years later, I’m still producing construction details – both individually, and collaboratively with the architects at HUT.

The concept of Details First is an accurate description of Scott’s approach to architectural mentorship.

For me, this approach means interrogating an architectural proposal through the fundamental junctions and interfaces at the outset. Helping inform the development of the technical design.

Scott made me think from a contractor’s POV i.e. make the understanding of the construction detail as simple as possible. Carefully consider the drawing representation – think Ikea assembly instructions.

Architectural practices face growing pressure to operate at high levels of efficiency, leaving experienced architects with limited time to mentor younger staff.

To address this, practices must invest in their development through in-house expertise or external consultancy.

In this time of heightened regulation, design substantiation, and increasingly complex buildings – strong technical understanding is becoming increasingly vital.

Interest and aptitude in technical delivery doesn’t emerge by chance – it has to be nurtured.

I would say that Scott started with an understanding of the bigger picture; considering early principles that affect the 'bigger picture' through to how the finer details are executed. This might manifest itself in an understanding of site and how this gives rise to opportunities around passive design, which ultimately feeds into the details.

I would say that his strength and what he taught me, was to consider a project on different scales - in terms of the broad approach and narrative through to how this determines the detailed approach, right from the start of a project.

I think that having a clear concept and design anchor feeds holistically and naturally into the detailed response, and vice a versa, right from the beginning.

For young architects today

I think basic principles of passive design - so often an understanding of orientation/ ventilation / solar effects are overlooked - meaning that projects rely on a more engineered solution to achieve comfort - something that could be reduced if interrogated early doors."

You also showed me what it means for design intent to withstand the realities of practice: negotiations with planning officers, coordination with contractors, tight fees, late changes, and the inevitable imperfections of real-world information.

We later went on to work on larger projects, such as Vine House, where you supported me in developing solutions using the tools you had already given me. This allowed me to structure information clearly and communicate my ideas in my own way, while still being guided by a rigorous and thoughtful process.

At the time, the main benefit was having a clear framework for thinking and working when everything still felt new. Being fresh into practice, I was learning not just technical skills, but how to prioritise, structure information, and make decisions with limited certainty. The technical mentoring gave me confidence that there was a way through complexity, even when the answers weren’t obvious.

What has stayed with me is that way of thinking rather than any single piece of knowledge. The emphasis on clear communication and the ability to distill what a project is really about continues to shape how I work with clients, consultants, and teams today. Diagrams still form part of my everyday tools! 

“Details First” is a very accurate description of the process you taught me.

To me, Details First means starting with how a building is actually made and used, rather than treating details as something to be resolved later. It’s about understanding junctions, tolerances, sequencing, regulations, and material behaviour early on, and letting those realities inform the wider design decisions and drive forward the design beyond aesthetics but in a really authentic way. 

I loved working through hand sketches (I still have some of them) and definitely implement this within my own work and process today.