Part I Architectural Assistant
University of Bath
Part I Architectural Assistant
University of Bath
Selected Work S
James GoodwinThis portfolio is a curated collection of my experience to the present day; projects completed during my studies at University, my Professional Placements, and my prior Apprenticeship as an Architectural Technician.
After leaving college in 2016 I spent 4 years working in Practice, developing my skills in a hands-on environment. Whilst challenging, this period fuelled my passion for Architecture which I took forward into my University studies.
During my career, I have had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects, from concept through to construction, and for an array of clients across the residential, commercial, public and leisure sectors.
I hope these pages give you a useful insight into my architectural experience to date.
Please read as a double page spread for optimal viewing. All work is my own unless where credited or noted otherwise. All drawings produced on placements or in previous employment are copyright of the relevant Practice.
To view an extended version of this portfolio, including additional projects completed at both University and whilst in employment, please scan the QR code adjacent or click here
Part I Architectural Assistant
jgoodwin9520@gmail.com
07809 139943
25/02/1999
16 Lagoon View, West Yelland, Barnstaple, EX31 3LD
My route into Architecture has been less than typical. After leaving college a year into my A Level studies, I began an apprenticeship with an architectural practice in North Devon. I worked as a Technician for 4 years, immersing myself in the Practice and learning all I could in this time. I developed a strong technical backbone during my apprenticeship, and a pragmatic, detail oriented approach to my work. I carried this skillset through into my degree studies at the University of Bath, where I recently submitted my final project - a cyclical brewery set in Swindon.
Seeing a project progress from an initial idea or conversation through to a fully formed building gives me immense satisfaction, and the positive change that buildings have on our clients drives my passion for Architecture - be that improving the lives of a single family or driving change for a wider community.
This drive for change has been a narrative present throughout my university work, with my projects including a consistent drive to improve the public realm and give back to the wider community which may interact with my proposals. The current focus on the Climate Crisis has also pushed my interest in both sustainable design and retrofit, with my more recent university projects especially focussing on the integration of innovative, low carbon materials or methods of material reuse.
BSc (Hons) Architecture
University of Bath, 2020 - 2024
Graduating July 2024, Results TBC
Construction HNC (Level 4) with NVQ
Exeter College, 2018 - 2020
Achieved: Distinction
Construction and Contracting
Operations BTec (Level 3) with NVQ
Exeter College, 2016 - 2018
Achieved: Dist* Dist*
AS Levels (Art, Maths, Physics, IT)
Petroc, 2015-2016
Achieved (Respectively): B, C, B, B
GCSEs (Inc. Art, Triple Science, Computing, Additional Maths)
Pilton College, 2010 - 2015
Achieved: 7A*, 5A, 1B
Bath, UK
Feb 2023 - Aug 2023
Part I Architectural Assistant
• This period was a 6 month work placement completed as part of my University degree.
• I was involved in a number of projects between RIBA Stages 1 and 4, ranging from bespoke housing developments to the adaptive reuse of large buildings within Bath. I spent most of my placement working at Stages 3 & 4.
• Most projects were at a larger scale than I had encountered previously, and I gained useful experience working with larger, multi-disciplinary design teams.
• I learnt a great deal about working with existing buildings; working with Local Planning & Historic England to determine sensitive interventions whilst ensuring client’s requirements are met.
Mears Architects Ltd
Barnstaple, UK
Feb 2022 - Sept 2022
Part I Architectural Assistant
• This period was a 7 - 8 month work placement completed as part of my University degree.
• I was involved in several projects between RIBA Stages 1 and 4, ranging from small residential projects to large hospitality buildings.
• I was responsible for liaising directly with clients on some projects, and independently managing information production to meet key deadlines (including a full tender pack for a new private dwelling).
Peregrine Mears Architects Ltd
Barnstaple, UK
Feb 2016 - Sept 2020
Junior/Intermediate Technician
• My main period of employment at PMA was part of a 4 year apprenticeship starting as a Junior Technician in 2016. At the time of leaving the practice I was working at an Intermediate Technician level, working autonomously on projects alongside the Project Architect.
• I worked on a range of projects throughout all work stages, covering several sectors - spanning from residential extensions to new community centres and a multi-million pound redevelopment of a holiday resort.
• During this time, I played a key role in delivering a new private house (approx £700k budget), working between RIBA Stages 3 and 6. This project gave me a basic working knowledge of Contract Administration, as I was responsible for liaising directly with the Contractor throughout the construction process and running bi-weekly site meetings.
Highly proficient at drafting using Vectorworks, along with strong 3D modelling & Sketchup skills. Working knowledge of AutoCAD, Photoshop and Indesign alongside proficiency with Full MS Office Suite. Competent digital rendering and visualisation skills. Good technical problem solving skills with a detail oriented mindset.
Full UK Driving Licence (Cat B, Obtained 08/2017). References available on request.
Year 4.2 - Final Year Project
Location: Swindon, UK
Sector: F&B / Research
Year: 2023 / 2024
The culminating design project of my undergraduate degree is a cyclical brewery; merging the historic and traditional process of brewing with cutting edge science to create a process where ingredients are cultivated in-house and waste products are recycled into biogas. The proposal reimagines the vacant Old Town Hall & Corn Exchange in Swindon as a test bed for this new method of brewing; a manifesto project to develop and expose this technology for adoption by larger brewing manufacturers. Taking references from the existing Listed structure and arranged as an inflection of served and service zones, the proposal offers opportunities for the public to observe and understand the roles the various spaces and processes play in the continued operation of the building.
With the demolition of an existing neighbouring building a necessity for the proposal, the project takes a unique approach to repurposing these otherwise waste materials. Instead, they are viewed as a kit of parts, with their integration into the scheme creating a visible dialogue of reuse.
The full design report for this project can be viewed by scanning the QR code above, or by clicking here
In 2020, global annual beer production was estimated at 1.82 billion hL (1hL=100L). Of all waste produced during this process, wet BSG (Brewers Spent Grain) accounts for 85% - equating to an annual production of 39 million tons worldwide. For every 100 litres of beer produced, 20kg of spent grains are created as a waste product.These currently have little opportunity for further use outside of feedstocks or compost, with around 20% sent to landfill. For every ton of BSG sent to landfill, 513kg CO2 is released.
In 2022, the UK produced 37.5 million hL of beer, ranked 4th in the EU. Using the ratios discussed previously, it can be estimated that the approximate annual UK production of brewers spent grains is 750,000 tons. Anaerobic digestion processes can turn these grains into hydrogen; a clean fuel which can be turned into electricity using a fuel cell. The only waste emission is water; the ‘left over’ BSG can be used for compost. A circular model is critical to generate maximum potential from this otherwise waste product - the UK produces enough spent grains to generate enough clean energy to satisfy the annual power demand of 1.1 million homes.
Lauter Tun
Brewing Kettle
Whirlpool Tank
Fermentation Tank
Serving Tanks, Canning & Kegs
Pre-treatment Tank
Separator Tanks
Granular Biomass Reactor
Anaerobic Digester
Exhaust Gas Flue
Hydrogen Storage Tanks
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Water Filtration System
Solar PV Battery Storage
My proposal aims to re-inhabit the existing vacant Old Town Hall and Corn Exchange, known locally as the Locarno. The building has a rich history - built in 1852 and currently Grade II listed. It was gutted by two fires in 2002 and 2004 which left the building as a vacant shell; long since abandoned with no plans for its redevelopment.
Being a highly active, public building, the project aims to enliven the area surrounding the Old Town Hall and so breathe life into this fractured area of Swindon. The building can be seen as a nexus; stitching together the myriad of architectural languages, urban grains and masterplanning typologies which clash within the wider context of Old Town. It also creates a building which the community can rally around, and from which they can draw new civic pride.
My proposal sees an adjacent 1970’s office block demolished; the structure used as a ‘catalogue of parts’ which both informs the design of, and is used in, the new building. Through the development of the project, a language of reuse has emerged, with materials used in their raw and unapologetic state as taken from the demolished building. New interventions are designed in a lighter, sympathetic language, sparking a dialogue between new and old.
The proposal is planned around an inflection of public and manufacturing zones, reflecting the historic and new elements of the scheme. Interfaces at the boundaries provide opportunities for the public to observe and understand the roles the various spaces play in the continued operation of the building.
The building is a permeable entity, able to be entered and explored from several angles. This naturally draws the users into the heart of the proposal; the taproom. From here, each distinct aspect of the building is visible, and the served/service boundaries typical to food & drinking establishments are blurred.
Year 4.1 - TED Integrated Design Project
Location: Swindon, UK
Sector: Education
Year: 2023
Our group project in fourth year, the TED Happold Integrated Design Project, placed us in a group with Civil Engineering students and set a complex design brief for a proposal at a much larger scale than any of our previous projects. This year’s brief called for a new HE institute in the town of Swindon, set on a vacant site adjacent to the railway, specialising in two key subjects chosen by the group.
Our group chose to focus on the subjects of Biomedical Engineering and Materials Science; proposing that our Institute works closely with a nearby UoB & UoO research hub called iCAST. Our scheme was developed with the idea of ‘transfers of knowledge’; facilitating spaces of all scales to enable shared learning between all stakeholders of the building - from students and researchers, to staff and public.
Our proposal re-imagined a locally available, vernacular material – stone – as a structural exoskeleton, with the building acting as a manifesto for this emerging method of construction. Stone provides many benefits as a material, but is currently ignored in the wider construction sector. Drawing on existing precedents such as 15 Clerkenwell Close (designed by Amin Taha + GROUPWORK, and Webb Yates Engineers), this choice demanded a collaborative approach where structural, architectural and environmental requirements were of equal importance. Our unique structural system, alongside a considered architectural design and rigorous environmental strategies, created a carbon negative building with the capacity to last for generations.
Details drawn by myself, designed in collaboration with group engineers
Stone exoskeleton beams (500x600mm)
Galvanised steel connection ‘T’ with integrated thermal break positioned within insulation line
Glulam trimmer beam between trusses (200x300mm)
Powder coated aluminium fascia to parapet
Proprietary insulated structural angle (IsoChemie ‘Winframer’) allowing for glazing frame to be positioned within insulation line, so eliminating cold bridging from interface
Multiwall polycarbonate glazing (by Lamilux) with thermally broken frame - U value 0.9 W/ m2K
Horizontal louvres fixed to exoskeleton beams (to suit South East facing facade orientation)
Timber acoustic panels fixed to ceiling (with acoustic insulation between and above timber fins) to suit required reverberation time of less than 1 second
Screed layer over CLT floor (providing vibration dampening, acoustic and thermal mass
Insulated timber cassette panel with rainscreen panels over
Year 3.2
Location: Oxford, UK
Sector: Community / Performing Arts
Year: 2022 / 2023
Our main design project of third year revolved around designing a new community theatre within the historic city centre of Oxford. My chosen site was an existing but underutilised building to the north of Bonn Square, which was to be demolished following a hypothetical fire. Sitting at the West end of Oxford’s historic high street and adjacent to the Westgate shopping centre, the proposal evolved from a simple theatre into a multifaceted offering which gave back to the public realm and reactivated the square it faced.
Along with an auditorium and associated supporting spaces, our proposals were required to provide a ‘Gift to the City’. For my scheme, this took the form of a flexible auditorium, capable of being arranged to suit a multitude of uses. This provided a secondary benefit of the auditorium acting as an extension of the adjacent public square.
lectures,
POOR THEATRE... Jerry Grotowski
POOR THEATRE... Jerry Grotowski
Audience near to performers
Audience near to performers
A transverse stage layout which creates an intimate proximity between the performer and the audience. The stage is open to the square, allowing the public to be ‘invited’ into the auditorium. This stage layout facilitates ‘poor theatre’ styles of performances - a term coined by Jerry Grotowski which involves minimal props and a focus on characters and immersion.
More 'traditional' theatre, but still less of a focus on props and sets and more on experimental type theatre. Smaller
More 'traditional' theatre, but still less of a focus on props and sets and more on experimental type theatre. Smaller
POOR THEATRE... Jerry Grotowski
POOR THEATRE... Jerry Grotowski
Audience near to performers
Audience near to performers
End on for other activities - lectures, seminars, talks etc.
End on for other activities - lectures, seminars, talks etc.
audience size so much more intimate
audience size so much more intimate
A thrust stage with seating on three sides. The stage is closed off from the square and provides an intimate relationship between the performer and the audience. This setup can facilitate both traditional and experimental types of theatre.
The size of the auditorium provides ample room for pop up markets, or similar events. The scope of these events can be expanded to take over the entirety of Bonn Square, breathing new life into the public space.
Alternatively, the space could be utilised for visiting art exhibitions or events, with the public easily able to interact with any exhibits once the space is opened to the square.
100mm reclaimed brickwork in Flemish bond
200mm wood fibre insulation batts
140mm ‘Porotherm’ thin joint blockwork
12mm wet plaster finish
Typical Ground Floor Buildup (B):
100mm reclaimed brick floor finish
75mm screed with UFHS to offices etc.
150mm rigid insulation
50mm proprietary waterproof membrane and spacer (Type C)
150mm reinforced concrete slab
Proprietary Type A waterproofing membrane
25mm sand blinding
150mm compacted hardcore NTS
Typical Roof Buildup (C):
Zinc standing seam roof
18mm plywood carrier board
50mm ventilated void
Proprietary breather membrane
75mm wood fibre insulation batts
18mm plywood
75mm wood fibre insulation batts
350mm x 150mm Glulam structural truss
Proprietary vapour control layer
100mm acoustic insulation batts
25mm open boarded timber cladding
Conversion of Listed Hospital to Hotel
Location: Bath, UK
Sector: Hospitality
Year: 2023
Status: Various Stages; In Progress
One of the key projects I was involved in during my most recent professional placement (at the start of 2023) was the conversion of the vacant Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases - known locally as ‘The Min’ - in Bath to a 160 bed hotel. This included a full retrofit of the existing structure, construction of a new extension wing, and associated landscaping works. I worked on various tasks between RIBA Stages 1 & 4, including survey work, space planning, options analysis and technical detailing. I enjoyed the opportunity to get deeply involved in a larger retrofit project, and to improve my knowledge of working with Listed Buildings.
As part of my involvement in this project, I worked with the Project Architect to prepare a package of drawings to facilitate a soft strip of the existing building, planned for the end of 2023. The intent of these works were to open up the existing building as much as possible to inform later detailed surveys and drawings; removing modern ceilings and partitions and removing redundant hospital FF&E.
The package of information produced by AEA included a full condition and photographic survey of the building (a total of 400+ rooms, completed over 3 days), GA drawings highlighting specific demolition items, along with detailed survey drawings and ‘protection details’ for key historic elements. This included the original Victorian staircase, which I was responsible for surveying and subsequently preparing a set of protection details.
New Private Dwelling (PMA)
Location: North Devon, UK
Sector: Residential
Year: 2018 - 2020
Status: Completed
‘The Ark’ is a bespoke dwelling in Ashford, North Devon, situated to the edge of the village with panoramic views over the Taw Estuary and beyond. The form takes inspiration from a traditional Devon Longhouse, with the building oriented along the line of the topography, facing South.
I was involved between RIBA Stages 3 & 6 on this project, working alongside the Project Architect to develop Planning and Tender Packages. I was directly involved in the construction process after the Project Architect left the Practice, dealing with the clients and contractor, resolving site queries and participating in bi-weekly site meetings.
Regional Finalist: LABC Building Excellence
Awards 2020 (Best Individual New Home)
Galvanised 203x203x46 UC as S.E design and specification Webs to be fully filled with rigid insulation 15mm
8mm galvanised steel plate welded to underside of beam to support stone wall, as SE design and specification
25x38mm s/w battens shot fired to steel plate above, providing fixing for flashing
PPC aluminium flashing, RAL 7016
PPC aluminium flashing, RAL 7016 Fixed back to battens with C/S screws with heads coloured to match flashing
38x50mm s/w battens to cill fixed back to chipboard floor deck Void between battens to be filled with mineral wool
EPDM sealed to VCL
Window Head & Cill Details (Originally 1:5 @ A1)
Flexible bitumen sheet cavity tray, contractor selected item
Weep holes provided in blockwork to drain cavity, spacing as manufacturers guidance
PPC aluminium flashing, RAL 7016 Drip edge to be provided at end of flashing Fixed back to plywood rip above Top edge of flashing to be laid underneath end of cavity tray
EPDM taped and sealed to underside of steel plate
Isochemie ‘ISO-BLOCO 600’ expanding sealing tape to gap between window frame and flashing to be installed in accordance with manufacturers instructions
Schuco AWS 70.HI openable aluminium window, RAL 7016 Fixed back to structure with window straps and base block as Schuco standard details
EPDM lapped and sealed to single ply membrane
PPC aluminium cill/flashing with profile matching side/head flashings RAL colour TBC Cill to be angled to allow for water runoff Timber fillet to aid drainage
Kingspan Thermabate, or similar approved insulated cavity closer, sized to suit 140mm cavity Shorter flange (nearest to internal blockwork skin) to be removed as Kingspan guidance
Slab Edge Detail (Originally 1:5 @ A1)