Today I worked on the desk design again, developing three different options with variations in shape and curves. I was quite pleased with how they turned out, and later on they were taken to the project for the client to have a look at. They were really happy with the designs, which was great to hear — and it felt good to be part of that process.

I also had a really good chat with one of the architects, Will. He showed me one of his current projects, including some CAD elevations and details from the site survey. He took me through how he approaches surveys and even started showing me how he uses CAD more efficiently — I took some notes on data points and picked up a few useful shortcuts.

We then went a step further and actually carried out a bit of a survey ourselves, using a laser measure and a tape measure. Together we measured some walls and marked it all down by hand — ceiling heights, wall lengths, all of it — ready to be transferred onto CAD. It’s all a bit more advanced than what we’ve done at university so far, but it’s really sparked something in me. I feel more motivated to build on these skills, especially with upcoming projects where they’ll definitely come in handy.

Will also talked about how they think creatively when using CAD — not just drawing lines but seeing the bigger picture of the whole project. That really stuck with me. I can see how, with more practice, this could become something I really enjoy and find useful. He even said he’d be happy to take me out on a survey sometime, even after this placement, which I’d definitely be up for.

I also started some modelling work for the new front office. I’m not sure how much of it I’ll get through, but it’s been fun to start visualising it. Tomorrow I’ll be doing more CAD work, which I’m looking forward to.

It was a great day overall. I had a proper conversation with Will and realised how important CAD is going to be going forward. Even though I’m doing an interior design degree, this has shown me that in many studios — whether it’s furniture design, lighting, or anything technical — CAD is right at the centre. We do use it at uni, but I’ve not spent as much time on it as I’d like, so I’m definitely going to focus more on that now.