Author: Georgina Salmon

week 3

27th – 31st October 2025

This week had been really interesting as I’ve been focusing on researching how we can achieve a stylish design throughout both flats, while staying within the budget. One of the main challenges is that the flats spans the ground floor and the basement, where the two bedrooms will be located. The biggest issue here is getting enough natural light into the basement rooms. 

We initially considered raising the floor level, but that would be too expensive, and since the building is listed, there are strict limits on how much we can alter the existing structure. Another idea I explored was creating light boxes so part of the flat is on different levels, but I’m not too keen on this approach as it can sometimes look bulky or unattractive. 

While researching, I noticed that the two flats above the shop, which were renovated in the early 2000s, use glass blocks as dividers. They allow natural light to pass through while maintaining privacy, and I really like that design element. I think it would be great to carry this idea through to the new flats to create a consistent style across the building. My idea is to use glass blocks in the flooring so that light from the ground floor can filter down into the basement. It’s a much cheaper and more practical way to increase natural light, and with well-placed artificial l lighting, the space could still feel bright and welcoming. 

I’m excited to pitch this concept next week and discuss other potential design ideas with the team. 

Photos relevant to my concept – taken from Pinterest

24th October 2025

On Friday, I had the opportunity to work at Warehouse Project, which has always been a dream of mine, and it was an incredible experience. Although it wasn’t directly related to design, I’ve always anted to move into festival and event design, so being part of WHP felt like a really good opportunity. I think its really important for designers in this field to understand how an event operates in real life, and this placement gave me that insight.

I worked alongside the operations manager for the night, which allowed me to see what happens before, during, and after a show. I hadn’t realise just how much planning and coordination goes into each event. Before opening, we checked everything from toilets and food van to security, merch and welfare. We then had a meeting with department heads to discuss what to expect from the nights audience, for example, the demographic, likely behaviour, and welfare considerations. Once door opened, things ran smoothly until last entry, when queues causes some tension with local police, which was eye opening to witness. 

Overall, it was an amazing experience that helped me understand the scale of preparation and teamwork required to run a large event. Its definitely inspired me to even more to pursue event and festival design in the future. 

Confidence Man, WHP Friday 24th October 2025

week 2

20th – 24th October

My second week at Biaggi was really positive. I now have a clear understanding of what needs to be done, and enjoying being trusted to work independently. The work I’m producing feels like a project of my own, and I’ve been approaching it in the same structed way I would for a university project.

The colleagues I’m working with have been very happy with my process, as they can see each stage of the design clearly. This has made it easier for them to suggest changes and give feedback as they regularly see my progress.

One major hurdle this week has been getting back into using AutoCAD, as I hadn’t used it for a couple months. At university, I can usually ask classmates or tutors for help, but here I’m the only person who knows the software, so I’ve had to work everything out on my own. Although it was challenging at first, its actually made me much more confident and proud of my work. I’ve realised that I can’t just rely on others for guidance, I need to problem solve independently. This experience has allowed me to understand the software on a much deeper level. I now understand why I need to take the certain steps rather than just following instructions because a tutor told me to. 

AutoCAD drawings and catching up with the director about the design process.

As well as working at Biaggi, I also had two interviews this week for potential placements, both of which went really well. One of the roles was offered to me, and the other seems very promising, around 99% certain. But they need time for the designers to review my portfolio. 

Studio visit for a placement role at Visual Architects, Denton

13th – 17th October 2025

week 1

My first week at Biaggi was really enjoyable and relaxed. On Monday, I was introduced to the site and had the chance to look around and get a feel for the space id be working with. I also had a meeting with the company director to understand what we wanted to achieve with the project. The aim is to convert his shop into two flats, and it was interesting to hear his vision for how he wanted the space to be transformed.

The company had already brought in an architect who produced an existing plan, but the director wasn’t happy with how it worked. This was actually very useful for me, as it gave me a clear understanding of what he didn’t like and what he wanted instead. It meant I didn’t have to start completely from scratch, I already had a strong foundation and clear direction to build from. 

However, one challenge I’ve noticed early on is that while the director has big, creative ideas for the space, the budget doesn’t always match his ambitions. Although this isn’t an immediate problem, I can see it potentially becoming one later in the project. My plan is to create drawings and renders that reflect his vision as accurately as possible. Hopefully, once he sees the design visualised in the software, he might be encouraged to expand the budget to bring his beautiful ideas to life. 

Exterior photos of site

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