It has been a pretty full on two years. Over the past 24 months I’ve learned a lot about myself in both architectural terms and outside of that. I have a much greater appreciation of my strengths and weaknesses.

I started fifth year with the best of intentions to focus fully on my studies – I have always had a vivid and full life outside of studying. I fully admit that I have not achieved this object – I’m sure to both my tutors utter frustration.

I tried to lessen my commitments outside of the school of architecture but circumstance conspired against me. In my defence I chose to study architecture in order to build things and I would have never been happy with myself if I had turned down the opportunity of my first commission. The timing has not been helpful and the pressure that has presented itself upon me by dovetailing my final year with a private project has been immense. However, come the middle of August Thruxton will be breaking ground on my very first project. I’ll be annoyed when my results come back and they will have undoubtedly been affected by my dual focus – but come next may hopefully I’ll have a build to stand back from and say ‘I did that’.

That’s why I studied architecture.