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In the Spotlight - Interview with Simon Dennis

What is your role at BTP?

My official job title is “Senior Architect”; I’m not sure if that’s in recognition of the broad range of experience I bought to BTP, or just the grey and thinning head of hair!  Either way, I’m here to run projects from inception and feasibility stages through to completion and I particularly enjoy the challenges as projects become more real after the “planning” stage.

What drew you to BTP in the first place?

I’d previously earned an Associate’s position through a well progressed career, but I felt this had come at a price, so it was time to take stock. I wanted a position with a company that recognised the importance of life outside of the office; something which is quite rare in the modern architectural world.

BTP’s web site was quite different to many others; it was about it’s people as much as it’s architectural achievements, it came across as having traditional architectural values but with a very clear vision for growth . That was all borne out through the interviews and I’m pleased to say it’s lived up to expectation since. 

As for my career, I’m now fully BIM compliant and currently working towards accreditation as a Conservation Architect.

What has been your favourite project at BTP?

As I’ve only been with BTP for a year or so, I have yet to see a project through fully. However, I am really excited to have been working with ISG Construction on their bids under the Ministry of Justice Strategic Alliance framework and seeing them successfully appointed for three separate multi-million pound projects as part of the National Court Reform Programme to adapt existing spaces to create additional court/hearing rooms across the HMCTS estate. We are now completing the design for five different Court houses and expect to start works on sites across the Midlands early in the New Year. 

If you weren’t an Architect, what would you do?

That’s a question I’ve been asking myself for the last 20 years and still haven’t come up with a sensible answer! There’s been plenty of ideas; Lego model designer, long-distance lorry driver or the next Alfred Wainwright, but none have genuinely tempted me to hang up my tee-square – yet!

What might someone be surprised to know about you?

You mean what’s the biggest thing I talk about the least? Probably the very hands-on volunteering project I took part in KwaZulu Natal , South Africa, helping to build a proper home for a family of five orphans and their aunt, to replace their two room “mud hut” that was too small for them, which meant two of the daughter s had to sleep outdoors. It was a truly life changing experience that really puts our 21st Century, first world problems into perspective!

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