Role
Holly Mills is a lecturer in Architecture and is currently module leader for Architectural Representation & Communication and for Technology & Environment 1, which are both first year modules. She also assists with Design Studio in Year 1, as well as Technology & Environment in Year 2 and Professional Practice in Year 3.
Career overview
Employment
Prior to NTU, Holly worked for two successful architecture practices in Nottingham, specialising in domestic architecture. Working on a wide variety of projects from design to completion, Holly’s experience has informed her teaching at NTU, allowing her to share practical knowledge and experience of working in practice.
Education
Holly undertook her Architecture training at the University of Nottingham, gaining RIBA Parts 1,2 and 3. She qualified as an Architect in 2010.
Awards
Holly gained the RIBA East Midlands Newcomer of the Year Award in 2011.
Research areas
Holly is particularly interested in the practice of collaborative drawing. In February 2016 she organised five collaborative drawing workshops involving 400 students from the Architecture Department and West Bridgford Infant School. The five collaborative drawings were exhibited at the ‘Performing Drawology’ exhibition in the Bonington Gallery in February 2016. In June 2016, she also ran a collaborative drawing workshop with university lecturers at the TILT (Trent Institute for Learning and Teaching) conference.
The workshops undertaken to date will contribute to an ongoing comparative study of collaborative drawing workshops undertaken by different groups of people.
Holly also has a keen interest in interpretation of architecture and heritage and has recently worked with students on projects which seek to encourage appreciation of architectural heritage in new and innovative ways.
External activity
Treasurer for the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Architects Committee
Holly has been a member of the NDSA since June 2010. The NDSA is a regional society of architects whose aims are to promote architecture and increase public awareness of the built environment through a programme of events and activities focusing on hot topics within the profession and local issues. Holly has organised various major social events including the annual dinner and an exhibition of work by the architect Gilbert Scott. She also manages the society’s finances.
Member of the Fabric Committee, St. Mary’s Church, The Lacemarket, Nottingham
Holly sits on the Fabric Committee of Nottingham’s ancient civic church. The Committee meets on a regular basis to discuss issues relating to fabric of the Grade 1 listed church. Recent notable projects have included a major new underfloor heating and flooring scheme designed by artist Tess Jaray, for which Holly prepared applications for grants and Heritage Lottery funding.
Member of The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB)
Holly has been a member of SPAB since 2013. SPAB fight to save historic buildings from decay, demolition and destruction. She has recently become a member of the regional SPAB group, which visits buildings of historic importance on a regular basis.
Press expertise
Architectural drawing & model making, architectural education & historic architecture in Nottingham.