Five by Five

Name: Keira Nicholson

Title: Director Company: Collective Design Agency, Maida Vale WA

Why did you decide to study building design?

I have always loved fine detail art, geometry, and puzzles and during my school years, I sought to combine these skills. When reviewing university and TAFE courses, I was intrigued by the technical side of architecture through TAFE. When I started at TAFE, design and documentation was still a manual process using a drafting board which was tangible and required resolution to complete. Structure and materials were also still a unit, teaching Australian standards, code interpretation, and calculations. Since then, I haven’t looked back, and enjoyed the technical side of design and working in a team environment for clients.

What is your most inspirational building in the world and why?

Antonio Gaudi’s Casa Bastlló - house of bones is a building I look forward to visiting one day and have admired it since I first studied building design. Antonio Gaudi is an artist, and his media is the built form.

What tools and support would be beneficial to you in starting out your career, to become job ready?

Work experience and on-site training will help you to understand how connections work and how loads are distributed down and out to the foundation below. Construction basics will ensure designs are buildable and functional. Grammarly and word templates help build writing skills, flow and to articulate relevant points. Reports, justifications, and letters are vital to the design/ approval process. Never be afraid to ask for help or reach out to your peers. We all started somewhere.

What trends are you seeing around building design and sustainability?

In commercial renovations, I have noticed a greater awareness and understanding from owners/ developers that access design is required. In sustainability, I have noticed a greater awareness from owners and builders.

Any last words or advice to those thinking about studying building design?

Building design requires good communication and detective skills to interpret what your client is seeking. Good communication is required to break down expectations and reality. Your client is entitled to an opinion in their space and we are here to assist, guide and facilitate dreams/ideas to become a reality.

Where to now for you on your building design journey?

I look forward to further developing CDA (continuous delivery architecture) to provide continued design and documentation services within the medical, commercial, and residential space for accessible housing solutions. Also, I plan to continue my studies to develop my skills further, currently studying to become a WELL Accredited Professional (international wellness certifications) and plan to eventually include a diploma in access consulting.