Ian Springford

Ian Springford explains why Edinburgh is a great place to study Architecture and talks about his current projects with his own practice.

Your time at the University

I grew up in Edinburgh and always assumed I’d leave and study elsewhere. When the time came, however, I couldn’t find a better city in which to study architecture! The mix of medieval Old and classical New Town along with the dramatic topography of the city make it a fascinating place to study and work in. Edinburgh College of Art also had fantastic facilities and a great reputation within the profession.

I remember having to pull far too many all-nighters to complete projects on time and some very nerve-wracking presentations but I enjoyed it tremendously. I’ve recently had the opportunity to see the course from ‘the other side’ as a visiting critic.

Tell us about your Experiences since leaving the University

After graduating from the Edinburgh College of Art, I began working with Reiach and Hall Architects in Edinburgh before setting up my own practice in 2000.

We’ve been very fortunate and had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects all over the country.

I’ve recently had the opportunity to see the course from ‘the other side’ as a visiting critic.

We’ve recently finished a 187 bedroom, 4 star Hotel in London. We are currently working on the re-cladding and refurbishment of an office building in Irvine and new affordable housing and a church in Edinburgh. We’ve also got a few interesting projects in development which we hope will come to fruition soon.

Alumni wisdom

A university degree seems to be regarded as simply a pre-qualification process for landing the first job and there is pressure to become increasingly specialised at an earlier age. I would recommend students use their time at university to broaden their education rather than focus on an end goal and career.