Renegade Architecture

Before I talk about the plunge, allow me to give you some background. Having graduated with my bachelors this May I was faced with the inevitable, enduring and arduous job search resigned to the fact I would be looking at halving my annual income to pursue my chosen career path.

I’ve always been a driven individual. From age 17 I was already quickly becoming a success in the hospitality industry whilst studying at high school or university. I started with a large national coffee chain and was quickly leading one of Scotland’s most profitable coffee shops. Moving to sunny Aberdeen for university I was tasked with turning this chains estate in the city around (locals may note the improvements in 2009). Further moves within the industry saw me be part of the teams that brought a new Italian restaurant chain to both Aberdeen and Inverness in 2010, between uni and work I was working 90 hour weeks and loving it (my ex girlfriend not so much…)!

All of a sudden, as subtle as bulldozer, graduation arrived. I was drowning in piles of CVs and rejections. Decorated with paper cuts and had spent enough on stamps to keep the Royal Mail going through the next decade. Luckily for me I had a couple of interviews with some really great firms. Unluckily, I was always coming in second best!

It was during this time I turned back to hospitality management, and I got a taste for the money. It wasn’t perfect, but hey, revenue is revenue. It was during this time I took the time to enter competitions. Writing competitions, design competitions, anything and everything except X-Factor. I also found myself being offered interviews and being faced with the dilemma – take a 50% pay cut to work as a part 1, or stick it out in hospitality for the rest of the year and go back to university with some cash in my back pocket and the dream of a market upturn. I couldn’t make the choice. For most it’s an easy choice to make, and I’m sure almost everyone reading this will think I am mad for turning down a part 1 placement to work for Pizza Express. Instead, I decided to have my cake and eat it.

So I took the Plunge.

I’m now a freelance consultant, a restaurant manager and now (thanks to Urban Realm) a blogger. Thing’s are great. Sure, I work crazy hours once again, but I am my own man – creator of my future.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not in the business of architectural design, the most I will (and have) done is refitting of existing buildings. I do provide a product for firms that are seeing an up turn of work, but still lack the confidence to take on permanent staff. Recently I’ve been doing a lot of site surveys for a chartered surveyor, and she has been a fantastic contact to make. I’ve also invested in a 3D printer, but I will discuss that further down the line.

Things are on the up, and were given a fantastic kick-start when I was shortlisted for the AJ Writing Prize in November.

And so, we find the place for this blog. A blow by blow account of the thrills and spills of flying solo. A forum for discussion, and a tale of the optimism for young, career driven graduates that have no respect for the status quo.

So sit up, scroll down, delve in and get involved. Leave a comment, follow me on twitter (@dom_mcandrew) or get in touch at www.renegadearchitecture.co.uk.

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