Becoming an architect is no simple feat, which is why we would like to recognise four of our team members, Nicholas, David, Sofia and Tom, who have put in a lot of time and effort to complete their Part III exams successfully.
Here are their thoughts about the experience and how they celebrated this accomplishment.
Nicholas Elsdon, Architect
"It was fascinating to learn about all aspects of being an architect while completing my Part 3 - in particular, the job and practice running processes. The advice I would give to others is to attempt past papers and analyse previous responses early in the process to get a feel for the questions rather than getting lost in perpetual topical revision - scenario-based learning ensures knowledge 'sticks' in my experience!
Although opportunities to celebrate were somewhat dampened by the global pandemic, I still managed to meet up with some friends and family to raise a glass. Amongst other celebratory gifts I treated myself to a nice bottle of single malt. I now look forward to spending time with my wife and the twins and resuming my childhood hobby of dinghy sailing and racing."
David Oakes, Architect
"I found that the breadth of projects which I have worked on with the practice provided a good base of knowledge to which the course added a greater level of detail and insight. My experience with Manchester New Square was invaluable, and it was a great project for my case study. Certainly, a lot of dedication was required throughout but I feel far better equipped for future challenges as a result. The advice and support I received from others in the practice prepared me well for the experience. The advice I would give to others doing their Part 3 would be to carefully plan their time in the case study, revision topics and especially in the exam.
To celebrate qualifying I took the opportunity to get out and walk in the countryside after all the time spent indoors over the winter - it's also the best that's on offer at the moment! I'm also looking forward to spending more time with family and getting back into cooking now that I have my evenings back."
Sofia Jassim, Architect
"The Part 3 experience was naturally different from the norm due to Covid, with all the lectures and communication with the Part 3 team being virtual. However, I feel that I learnt a lot whilst also discovering that there's always more to learn. The best advice I could give for studying for your Part 3 is just to get started! It's crucial to stay on top of your PEDR sheets, engage with the lecture weekends as much as possible, and not to hold off for the perfect project for your case study - you cannot predict how projects will progress, as this year has proven.
Fortunately, the week I qualified was the week that pubs and bars opened again, so my celebration included a cold G&T sat outside in the sunshine! With my new-found free time I'm looking forward to getting back into yoga and vegan cooking.
Tom Smith, Architect
"The course itself was quite different due to the pandemic. All the lectures were via zoom and there was a lot less interaction between students. The pandemic did mean that there were fewer distractions, so I was able to concentrate on studying without the fear of missing out! I would advise revising and writing the case study at the same time as it makes things a lot clearer. My case study concentrated on Viadux, the scheme I have been working on for the past year, which was a fascinating project to write about because of the complexities surrounding the re-use of the Grade II Listed viaduct.
When I found out that I had passed there was lot shouting and punching the air, followed by an evening on the phone letting everyone know. When I passed there were still a lot of restrictions in place, but I did meet up with a few friends once bars and restaurants had reopened and had alfresco food and drinks. Now I'm looking forward to carrying on doing up my first home and trying out some new hobbies!"