Because I was the most experienced person on every site and the least credentialed. Because I wan…
T=0: The Decision
Twenty-two years managing construction sites. I had overseen the building of 37 significant structures in Greater Manchester and never once designed one. My highest academic qualification was a City and Guilds. At 47, I enrolled in a part-time architecture programme at Manchester Metropolitan.
Because I was the most experienced person on every site and the least credentialed. Because I wanted to design the buildings before I was too old to build them. Because my daughter asked me at dinner why I hadn't done it sooner and I could not answer her.
An RIBA Part 1 qualification. Proving at 52 that it is possible.
12 Months Out
Part-time architecture while managing full-time construction is not sustainable without deliberate support systems. My wife handles 80% of the household this year. My classmates are 20 years old. This is disconcerting for approximately 10 minutes per week. The rest of the time, my site experience makes me the most useful person in studio.
“Negotiate reduced working hours with your employer before you start. Even 4 days a week makes the academic load manageable. I tried full-time employment + part-time degree and it nearly broke me.”