Associate Designer Director / Lead Architect

Our client, an award-winning, global brand experience agency, is looking for a talented, multi-skilled, lead 3D designer / architect to join their creative studio team based in their London office. Our client works with a diverse and exciting selection of brands, global and national, to create innovative experiences for roadshows, launch events, conferences, retail, promotional activations, exhibitions and hospitality spaces.

Key Skills

• Ideally you will be a qualified architect, or have studied architecture and had some experience in a level of detailing and specification in architectural projects
• A minimum of 7 years working in events, temporary architecture, pavilion design, experiential marketing or a similar discipline of environmental design. Retail, hospitality, theatre, stage, etc.
• You can define and brief design solutions through sketching and mood boarding
• Proficient in Rhino, AutoCad or Vectorworks and a rendering software such as VRay, Enscape or Cinema4D. (Although we will consider other software)
• Proficient use of Adobe Suite (in particular Photoshop)
• Experience of working on projects from concept design to realised environment
• Attention to detail and pride in every piece of work undertaken
• A good understanding of construction methods and materials, able to produce design intent drawings with an understanding of the practical world we are operating in
• Ability to communicate your design vision to the in-house production team
• Understanding the design process through working to defined scopes, timelines and processes. Keeping an organised drawing package clearly reflecting revisions / updates
• An awareness of building / health and safety / DDA regulations
• Well organised, efficient and able to manage your own time and that of other team members, within deadlines
• Strong initiative and the ability to prioritise tasks
• Some experience of briefing and managing a small team, including external visualisers / renderers
• To define our quality control process and able to mentor / guide more junior members of the team in good practice and ways of design-thinking
• Able to present design development to the team through regular critiques and development meetings. Also potentially presenting directly to client
• An understanding of how light is essential to complete spatial experience. Working with lighting designers and producers to integrate this in designs
• Clear direction on materiality, contributing to our materials library and portfolio of innovative materials and suppliers

Tasks

• You’ll have worked in interiors / retail, experiential marketing, events or associated environmental sectors for 7+ years, driven by a desire to design unique environments and installations for a mix of clients, delivering immersive, dynamic and inspiring experience-based spaces
• Your core skill is developing the design concept presented by the creative and design team, to produce a considered and perfected environment which delivers on the visitor experience defined in concept
• You might come from an architectural background or have specific experience in exhibition or event design, but you’ve always told stories to people through the spaces you design and as well as beautifully considered spatial solutions, you focus on experience, engagement and interaction
• You enjoy developing thoughtfully detailed 3D environments, being attentive to the customer journey, and framing the emotive and engaging touchpoints along the way
• You’ll have an attention to detail that covers materiality, furniture, lighting and anything else that defines a precise look and feel for the environment
• You’ll be passionate about the power of space – it’s material and sensory quality – in creating emotional impact on the visitor
• Your role will be a key role in the studio, you’ll have the responsibility ensuring that everything that is realised and constructed is a quality product
• You will be the quality control and guide for the design team to deliver successful spatial solutions
• Working directly with the Design Director in raising and maintaining our standards across design and production processes
• You’ll work on multiple projects, leading and briefing other in-house designers, including architects, interior designers and graphic as well as freelancer specialists such as lighting designers
• You’ll work closely with our production department ensuring our drawing packages, production information and specifications for contractors and suppliers are excellent
• You’ll be expected to have constructive input in the creative design direction and be a calm and rational voice when defining how challenging design proposals are turned into realisable deliverables, often working to tight timetables
• You must be a strong presenter, able to effectively communicate your work, bringing ideas and concepts to life for both in-house teams and potentially clients
• You need to have strong visual presentation skills through drawings and rendering. We are looking for a strong portfolio of experiential, event, exhibition and potentially retail environments. You might also have experience in conferences and hospitality
• Sustainability is really important to us, so a real interest in the best materials, innovative new products and processes will be important. Combined with an understanding of modular approaches to design.