Ruby Somerville Wellington Architecture Graduate
Role: Architecture Graduate
Region: Wellington
Manager: Nick Leko
Ruby has been working for Leko Architects since early 2015 in a part time position while she was studying towards her Master of Architecture [Professional] Degree at Victoria University of Wellington. She is employed as an Architectural Graduate and has the opportunity to explore a large range of responsibilities within the practice.
In her first three years of part-time employment in the industry she has: - Led on-site measure ups often involving casual one on one client consultation and discussion of early concept ideas.
- After conducting the measure up, drafted existing and demolition plans in Revit.
- Led the development of initial design concepts and communicated these concepts through plans, sections, elevations and renders. - Personally managed correspondence with the client to gain feedback and to progress the design.
- Assisted in the drawing of standardised details, as well as door and window schedules.
- Liaised meetings between clients and kitchen specialists.
- Prepared and submitted drawing sets for council consent.
- Responded to RFI’s and addressed council queries regarding the projects she has submitted.
Although Ruby has worked in a strictly design focused role the nature of the Leko/Refresh office environment has allowed her to gain experience beyond the office itself, such as being able to work closely alongside in-house contractors and visit various projects onsite. Ruby has further broadened her understanding of the profession by interning with the Christchurch City Council’s Urban Design and Regeneration Team during the summers of 2015-16 and 2016 -17.
Among a variety of other tasks the most important knowledge she gained for her time in the council were: - An understanding of inner-city urban design guidelines - An inside perspective of the pre-application and urban design panel processes that the council runs with architecture practices - Experience assessing architectural plans for consenting processes When she is not studying or working Ruby enjoys looking forward to overseas holidays, having travelled to Sydney, Melbourne, Samoa and Japan in 2016 and 17 alone. She specifically planned her itinerary in Japan to coincide with a wide range of traditional and modern Japanese architecture further expanding her architectural experience. She hopes to travel Europe in a similar way, catching all the architectural highlights along the way.
