Chris Baillon
Chris Baillon
Placement: Franklin Ellis Architects
“I chose to study BSc (Hons) Architectural Technology as I’d grown tired of my previous career choice and wanted a fresh challenge. I spent a great deal of time researching a number of potential careers and Architectural Technology provided me with a career that balanced the art of design with the precision and detail of science and technology. A balance that I believe mirrored my own attributes and interests."
“Both the course and the university were recommended to me by CIAT themselves who put me in touch with Gavin here at NTU."
“The most enjoyable aspects of the course are the design projects. Whilst construction technology is of principal concern to an Architectural Technology student, we are given the freedom to be creative in our initial conception of an idea and are encouraged to develop a solution that is both architecturally appropriate and technologically sound."
“The strength of this course is that work is varied and students are not limited to studying architectural technology alone. The course recognises that an understanding of other disciplines within the construction industry is a must for any prospective Architectural Technologist and they help by introducing us to the basics of M&E Services design, Structural Engineering, Surveying, Contract Administration and many more. This basic understanding proved incredibly useful during my placement year in particular."
“The general atmosphere around campus is a friendly and relaxed one. The staff are friendly and approachable and the resources available to us, in particular the library, are fantastic throughout."
“The course is well managed by the staff and continues to develop and grow stronger every year with fresh projects introduced on an annual basis. As a student, our opinions and input into these projects are both welcomed and used to develop the course further. The course was recommended to me by CIAT and in my opinion it has improved even further in my time here as the academic staff endeavours to improve the course year on year."
“I completed my work placement at Franklin Ellis Architects where I was fortunate enough to be given a huge amount of responsibility. I have been allowed to effectively run a project from conception to completion with the guidance of a qualified architect."
I was involved in developing the concept through sketches and 3D computer models and interfaced directly with the client and the local Planning Authority from an early stage to agree on a design that satisfied the requirements of the client, the budget and the Planning Authority. I took the project through a complicated Planning Application with a number of issues that needed resolving as the project progressed. I then co-ordinated the design team made up of a number of professionals including a Quantity Surveyor, Structural Engineer, M&E Services Engineer, and a CDM Coordinator to get the project out to tender and as the project progressed I became the Contract Administrator and chaired the Pre-Contract Meeting."
“I left the placement for my final few months to try working in a different area of the industry to help gain an experience of the profession from another perspective. Whilst I haven’t made any concrete career decisions as yet, I certainly have a better idea of what is available and I have indeed narrowed down my options to a manageable amount but hope the university will provide further support and guidance in my final year."
“I believe many of the opportunities that presented themselves during my placement were a direct result of the skills acquired through my first two years at university. In particular, my appreciation of other disciplines helped me a great deal in coordinating the design team throughout the project. In fact, I have been able to complete a large percentage of my POP record before even graduating as a result of this placement.”
