People News

Understanding how we can deliver better spaces.

I studied mechanical engineering…

… at the University of Bath and completed summer placements at Atelier Ten, a building services engineering company.

I have worked at Hoare Lea for 16 years…

… starting as a graduate mechanical engineer in December 2006,  working mostly in education and airport buildings before progressing to large office fit-outs and then new builds. My first major workplace project was the international quarter in Stratford for Lend Lease, working alongside RSHP architects. Lend Lease had quite a different brief, trying to rethink how offices were put together, thus making it challenging but allowing me the opportunity to be creative. Since then I have led other major workplace designs, including Timber Square. I am always interested in how workplaces are shaped by the needs of the city and its businesses and people. For this reason, I get involved in all sorts of initiatives to further understand how we can deliver better spaces. I have had the privilege of being a judge for the BCO awards in London a few years ago and this has meant that I have seen so many businesses present the concepts behind their workplaces which I find fascinating. I am now on the Board of Management of the British Council for Offices, which enables me to get involved on yet another level and influence how our industry serves people.

As a member of the leadership team for the workplace core sector…

… focussed on London, I will be shaping the way our business serves the workplace sector, from the types of projects we work on, to how we engage with our clients and provide design input that adds value.

My role excites me…

… as I see it as a way to bring my experience in the workplace sector and my creativity to answering the two main challenges:

I definitely think we can have an impact, not only in the design work we do, but our engagement with our clients and the industry, enabling others to understand the challenge and solutions as we do. I am also looking forward to enabling our engineers to bring all of their expertise together to enhance the value we can bring to each and every project and client.

What do I do in my spare time?…

…I have two children so I don’t have a lot of spare time! But I do play the oboe in a local concert band and I like to draw and paint when I can.

This profession…

… is all about creating a better environment for people. What better than to influence the design of places where millions of people from all sorts of backgrounds spend their working lives. This is what we are doing by influencing the direction of this sector.

 

Find Frances Brown on LinkedIn