Hello...
...my name is Alastair, but you already knew that.
I am a student of architecture (Part 1 RIBA, BSc Hons) based in Glasgow, Scotland.
For any enquiries or a hardcopy CV please drop me a line →
Addict Audio
A small job for a start up audio engineering company. The job eventually fell through but I continued to develop the ideas I had for a personal project.
AutoCAD/Vectorworks/Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign/
Premiere Pro/After Effects/SketchUp/HTML & CSS
Weimar, 2009
Photography is a hobby of mine, I shoot nothing in particular with a Nikon FM2, usually on Kodak TMAX400 film. These are from my time spent living in Weimar, Germany on exchange.
The Sleeper Awakes Illustrations, 2011
An illustration task set over the summer between 4th and 5th year. I chose to illustrate H G Wells' classic novel 'The Sleeper Awakes'.
University of Strathclyde Department of Architecture Visual Identity
The department of architecture at Strathclyde University was in need of a visual identity in order to unify the school's aesthetic. The identity was to inform everything from posters and fliers to course handbooks and the school's web presence.
Year 4: Architecture School
This project asked us to consider the future of architectural education and to design a new school based on our research. The project lasted over 6 months and what is shown here is a relatively small cross section of the work: the final outcome, in the form of a new school of architecture, built into a remnant of Glasgow’s industrial history – a railway viaduct that once formed the approach to a large terminus station, now demolished. This structure presents an incredible series of brick vaults that are used to house parts of the new school. The public areas such as the gallery, library, café, shop units and lecture hall are located on the ground floor in the vaults with the more private office & studio spaces situated on top.
Existing Drawing Set (Survey of site) →
Environmental Strategy Booklet →
Sketches/Superseded details & Model Photographs →
Department of Architecture 2011—2012 Course Handbooks
The University of Strathclyde Department of Architecture asked me to redesign the course handbooks, issued at the beginning of each year to architecture students, that outline each years' syllabus and contain useful information regarding university regulations, contact information, class timetables etc. The redesign was required partly due to major restructuring of the book's content as well as to align the books with the new visual identity I helped to develop for the department. The covers use the ISO paper 'framework' as per the visual identity and the interiors maintain the same clean design aesthetic throughout.
I worked in conjunction with Matt McKenna of Dress for the Weather in both design consultation with the department and in formatting the books.
A House in the Wilderness
My entry for the annual Shelter competition
Work Experience
Pentagram Design Ltd. →
London, January — June 2010
I was employed at Pentagram for five months whilst working towards my Part 1 RIBA qualification. I worked on a number of jobs for clients such as CitiBank and M&T Bank as well as on a smaller scale project for a house renovation/conversion. The work involved everything from creating technical drawing sets and details from scratch to sourcing suppliers to producing 3D models and presentation drawings in Sketchup, Photoshop and InDesign.
SMC Davis Duncan Architects
Glasgow, June — September 2008
I worked at SMC Davis Duncan for four months over summer, between my second and third year of university. I was involved in a number of projects ranging from a small scale house extension on the south side of Glasgow to a large privately developed hotel/leisure/retail complex based in Aberdeen.
NDVR Architects →
Glasgow, May 2008
I worked at NDVR to help with a submission for the Tribeca Infobox competition being run by the developer Urban Splash. The job involved building a 1:50 and a 1:100 physical model of the proposed scheme.
Year 4 Dissertation: Branding Architecture
Dissertation abstract:
"The evolution of advertising has led to a proliferation of signage, symbolism and branding which has transformed our urban landscape. The influence global brands have on our environment goes well beyond the franchised coffee shop or the iconic building: governments are increasingly looking to brands, and the corporations and companies behind them, to help regenerate our towns and cities, building shopping centres and housing estates and redeveloping run-down areas by bringing in money and tourism. This paper will trace the roots of advertising, the gradual evolution of branding and the role graphic design and symbolism have played in the rise of the global brand. In doing so it will try to assess its impact on architecture and where and whether we should draw the line."
Theatre Posters
The Savoy theatre group, based in Helensburgh, asked me to design posters for their shows from 2008—2010.
London, 2010
Photography is a hobby of mine, I shoot nothing in particular with a Nikon FM2, usually on Kodak TMAX400 film. These are taken during my time living in London and working at Pentagram →
Education
University of Strathclyde →
Glasgow, 2006 — 2011
BSc Architectural Studies, First Class Honours
Bauhaus Universität →
Weimar, March — July 2009
IAAD Masters degree course (3rd Year international exchange)
Year 3: Merchant City Housing
An urban housing scheme for the centre of Glasgow. The design had to deal with a very tight site and with issues of access for service vehicles/deliveries to existing shops from the lane. The idea of servicing was developed as an idea for the scheme with the building becoming a place for the storage of newspaper and fast food kiosks that service the city as well as providing access to all the existing shop delivery areas. The accommodation was mixed with areas designed for all lengths of stay from 12 hours (a capsule hotel) to 12 or more years (large penthouse apartments).
Site & Project/Brief Analysis → | Sketches →
This project came first in the Architecture category of the Northern Design Competition, run by Leeds Metropolitan University, in 2009.
2009 Winners' Archive → | 2009 Competition catalogue →
Miscellaneous Photographs
Photography is a hobby of mine, I shoot nothing in particular with a Nikon FM2, usually on Kodak TMAX400 film.
Year 1: Centre for the Written Word
This was the last of the projects given to us in our first year of university and the first building we were asked to design. A centre for the written word was given as a title and we were allowed to interpret that however we liked; I chose to design a poetry library as a sister to the poetry library in Edinburgh. The design addressed the slope of the site and the desire to not block existing windows of the tenements behind. The form in plan and elevational treatment was inspired by the form of poetry on a page. The project was drawn entirely by hand.
Design Experience
I first began to play around with applications such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator when I was 13 and began designing things for myself and other people soon after. Beginning with simple website banners and forum 'sigs' (personalised signature images that would be attached at the end of message board posts) I soon moved on to creating illustrations for myself and others, as well as websites and online magazines. Sadly much of this work no longer exists, such is the nature of the internet. However the experience I gained in working with people and discovering new design techniques and graphics applications was invaluable.
Since these early jobs I have completed a number of professional projects. I designed a new visual identity and collection of course handbooks for the Department of Architecture at Strathclyde University, various posters & advertising material for a local theatre company and marks for a local start up audio equipment hire company and a local media company.
I am interested in any kind of creative work, from graphical to architectural, industrial to photographic. I enjoy a challenge. If you are interested in my work, please feel free to get in touch →
Year 4: Architects' Office
This project asked us to contemplate the future of practicing architecture given the recent recession. The brief was to design an office, within an existing building, for 3 established Glaswegian architecture practices who had decided to rent a studio/office together in order to share resources and rent. I decided that the solution to the problem was as much economic as it was architectural and proposed that the 3 practices should come together to collaborate and share not only resources but also work, and to seek a more multidisciplinary direction. Architecturally the office space is designed to encourage this interaction between the offices as well as to address the lack of natural light penetrating the building.
Year 3 Exchange: New Bauhaus Museum
Whilst on exchange in Weimar, Germany we were given a brief to design a new museum for the Bauhaus collection in the town, moving it from its current location in Berlin. The site was situated to the south of Weimar on the border between the town and the large, 18th century, english country garden inspired Ilm park. The design had to consider the function of a museum of this type and the border of town and park. Along this border to the north the park is often met with a public square that transitions between urban and semi–rural. The design replicates this and creates a new public square to the park upon which the new museum building stands. The entrance to the building frames a view into the park and square beyond and emphasises the transition with a dramatic change in ceiling height. Toplight is utilised on each floor by means of clerestory windows and offers a range of spaces defined by quality of light and height.
Year 2: Gartcosh Business Interchange
A sustainable business park was planned to be built next to the newly reopened train station and the motorway. The project brief was to design a small building that would act as both an information centre for the park and as an exemplar for the other buildings that were to be built on the site. The building, with its simple form, sits in a redesigned landscape and incorporates a sustainable heating and ventilation system. The structure was designed to be deconstructed and have its parts reused in other buildings on the site. The only permanent element was the encompassing stair that would remain as a sculptural remnant on the site, providing a look out point and access from the station platform.
Awards
Northern Design Competition →
2009 Architecture Category Winner for 3rd Year Project ‘Merchant City Housing’.
Judges Comments: “A witty Scheme, cleverly presented based around those city functions that are usually ignored. Real urban quality, fitting in with delight”.
Europe, 2010
Photography is a hobby of mine, I shoot nothing in particular with a Nikon FM2, usually on Kodak TMAX400 film. These are from a two and a half week trip with friends across europe in summer 2010. We visited, in order, London, Paris, Barcelona, Venice, Zurich, Weimar & Krakow.
