Experience

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  Hamilton Hotel Partners

  • London, England, United Kingdom

  • Director - Architecture and Design

    • Jan 2022 - Present
    • London, England, United Kingdom

    Having worked alongside Hamilton Hotel Partners since 2013 on the Marriott UK portfolio, I was asked to join them full-time in order to bring my experience and skills to their other hotel projects in the UK and across Europe.I will continue with my work on the Marriott portfolio to complete the CapEx programme but will expand my role to assist Hamilton and our clients on all stages of projects, including pre-acquisition.I look forward to bringing my experience to projects in different cultural and geographical settings and working with the ever-expanding body of expertise at Hamilton Hotel Partners.

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  Olson Projects Ltd

  • Director

    • Jul 2013 - Jan 2022

    Since July 2013, I have been working for a Sovereign Fund owner, alongside asset managers, Hamilton Hotel Partners and PM/QS's, TowerEight, on a 8-10 year, £300m+ CapEx programme for a 42 hotel estate of Marriott Hotels within the UK. My role is threefold: assess current property conditions to compile the intended scope of works; help select, then work with, brief and monitor the design teams to implement the works; identify potential RoI opportunities and develop scheme designs for assessment by the team. I also act as design liaison for 3rd party F&B operators who we are inserting into several of the Marriotts.I have also worked with Hamilton Hotel Partners in guiding the hotel development for Manhattan Loft Gardens at Stratford Intl. station, London, which comprises the first 10 storeys of a 42 storey residential tower. We developed the brand, worked with the D&B team and compiled comprehensive Owner's Requirements for the Hotel, from detailed floor plans, bed mixes, full BoH operational layouts and F&B planning coordination.Again with Hamiltons, I assisted the owners of the Fairmont St Andrews hotel, Kennedy Wilson, with their recently completed refurbishment of all bedrooms, manor houses, reception, lounge bar, restaurant, golf clubhouse, external grounds and large atrium. I developed the owner's outline brief into a detailed scheme which was used to set the budget and phasing, and to engage interior designers RPW to complete the detailed installation.

  • Architect and Design Manager

    • May 2007 - Jan 2022

    Project Management for a London-based developer's residential, commercial, art galleries and office projects in London, Glasgow, Berlin and New York.'Head of Buildings' (in-house Architect, design manager and brand manager) for Mint Hotel (formerly City Inn), UK and Amsterdam sites. Coordinated all design information between professional consultant teams, contractors and client for new build hotels and refurbishments.Design and construction manager for Axios Hospitality converting Mint Hotels to Hilton brands.Architectural services for residential and small commercial projects.

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  Olson Projects Ltd.

  • Tonbridge, Kent, UK

  • Director

    • Jan 2013 - Jan 2022
    • Tonbridge, Kent, UK

    Through my passion for golf, I have worked with the GM of Royal Dornoch Golf Club, rated No. 5 course worldwide, to develop a new design and strategy for their proposed replacement clubhouse facility. I developed a masterplan for re-organising the approach to the clubhouse, the location of the clubhouse itself, use of buildings, parking, practice pitch and accommodation. The design took the form of an 'brough', an ancient, local form of stone edifice. Committee decision pending.Having worked with David Orr for many years with City Inn and Mint Hotel brands, as their in-house architect and design manager, I have since enjoyed further collaboration with David on major hotel projects under the Urbanist Hotels banner, including the proposed Rosewood hotel at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and the change of the old law courts in Amsterdam into a 5-star hotel. I have also advised and help develop plans, detailed designs and mock-up's for David's project for Eurostar in their quest to develop their own brand of hotels. In 2017, I have been advising on designs and potential properties for a nascent group of investors / developers in the interior region of British Columbia, Canada, as they develop a hotel brand from scratch. They aim to develop a string of 10-20 small hotels throughout the area to capitalise on the growing demand for winter skiing / summer activities outside of the more well known centres such as Whistler and Banff. The hotels will be a collection of renovated period buildings in each location.Having purchased 5.1 acres of elevated, sloping, wooded paradise with sea views on Salt Spring Island, BC, Canada in 2015, I have been preparing the land since for building my dream house. The site is now serviced and ready for construction which is planned to commence in 2018. I shall be managing and engaging in the build process throughout, including milling our own timber from trees felled on site.

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  Mint Hotel

  • London, United Kingdom

  • Head of Buildings

    • Jun 2007 - Aug 2012
    • London, United Kingdom

    I acted as the 'in-house' Architect, design manager and brand manager for Mint Hotel (formerly City Inn), over its 7 UK and 1 Amsterdam sites. Coordinated all design development and information between Head Office, professional consultant teams, contractors and client for 3 new build hotels and refurbishments of 5 existing hotels.Design and construction manager for Axios Hospitality converting Mint Hotels to Hilton brands across all 8 sites.Coordinated all building activity between Operations, IT and Procurement teams at Head Office.Processed Planning and Building Control consents plus liquor licensing applications and updates.Coordinated and oversaw all hotel building and maintenance teams, safety policies and compliance with new building legislation.Visited, analysed and assessed building sites in the UK and mainland Europe being considered for future expansion. Produced design studies for site assessment, e.g. development potential and number of bedrooms possible.

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  Bennetts Associates

  • Associate

    • Jan 2001 - May 2007

    Project Architect for a new build 460 room 4* hotel for City Inn at Westminster, London. Over 3 years, I took the consented project through construction through to completion and post-completion, working closely with the client and D&B contractor to deliver an award winning hotel (joint winner - European Hotel Design of the Year, 2003). This was London's largest new build hotel in 30 years.Design manager for team of 25 architects building a four tower office/retail scheme (£200m+, 100,000 sq. ft.) in central London with Sir Robert McAlpine as D&B contractor, full time for 3 years. Led and coordinated Building Control process, designs for security, access, safety and fire strategy. Integrated client's FM and operational requirements into the design. Set up and led the client's (Land Securities) 'Compliance and Monitoring Team', to ensure the delivery of the client's brief and contractual undertakings.Had overall office responsibilities: project documentation advisor, technical reviewer of designs, CDM policies, training, CAD protocols, specification writing, design review panel member, fire management, risk assessments and mentoring of Part 3 architects.

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  Olson Projects

  • Tonbridge, Kent, UK

  • Architect and Project Manager

    • Jan 2000 - Dec 2000
    • Tonbridge, Kent, UK

    On arrival in SE England, I formed my own practice. As well as the usual small scale residential projects, I landed the role of project manager / architect for a gym and indoor football group who were moving and expanding their operation from Spitalfields Market to 10 acres of listed, disused railway arches at nearby Bishopsgate Goods Yard, London.The gym and 6 indoor football pitches formed the major tenant of the covered area under the arches. The arches underwent a extensive clean-up and incoming services were upgraded. The gym comprised a full suite of equipment, spinning areas, change rooms and 25m swimming pool, all powered by a CHP plant. I was resident on site to coordinate separate trades contracts and ensure the design was built as per landlord and client expectations.The life expectancy of the project was short-term due to the impending East London Line Extension project which challenged the design teams to keep the interventions to the listed arches and capital expenditure to a minimum.

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  Orkney Islands Council

  • Kirkwall, Orkney

  • Project Architect - Major Projects Group

    • Jan 1991 - Dec 1999
    • Kirkwall, Orkney

    I joined a team of 2 other architects, 6 technicians and 4 QS's that formed the group responsible for delivering all of the Council's building programme. We designed, procured and built everything from schools, ferry terminals with interpretation centres, fish factories, housing, sports facilities to a new university complex as part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.We had complete design freedom and responsibility but had to coordinate with and provide for all of the relevant Council Departments' briefs, budgets and programmes.I also undertook dozens of private commissions for house designs and small commercial enterprises, as well as designed and built 2 house renovation/extension projects for myself.

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  Richard Meier Architects

  • Paris, France

  • Architect and Design Manager

    • May 1990 - Dec 1990
    • Paris, France

    I joined the 25 architect strong RM site office in Paris to act as design coordinator and technical supervisor. The international competition winning project was for £100m new studios and offices for the cable TV company, Canal+.It was a very rewarding experience to work on such a technically complex, architecturally ambitious and prestigious project, with a world class architectural practice, working in two languages and in such a fine city.

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  The Parr Partnership

  • Glasgow, United Kingdom

  • Project Architect - Major Projects Group

    • Jan 1988 - Apr 1990
    • Glasgow, United Kingdom

    Upon my return from Canada, I joined an established firm of architects in Glasgow who were one of Scotland's main architectural firms. They were leaders in designing corporate headquarters, micro-processor production facilities, offices and refurbishments. My first project as architect was for new offices and production facilities for SAS Ceilings in Maybole, Ayrshire. The budget was £1.1m for 2,000m2 of new facilities.I then won a limited design competition for new offices and production facilities for Apollo Window Blinds' new headquarters at Inchinnin, Renfrewshire. This greenfield site, £7.3m project comprised 2 stories of offices for 300 staff and warehouse and production facilities over 14,000m2.

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  Olson Design Ltd.

  • Victoria, BC, Canada

  • Principal

    • Jan 1986 - Dec 1987
    • Victoria, BC, Canada

    Once I had obtained my RIBA Part III qualification, I returned to Canada and set up my own practice. I had clients to return to, principally Hospitality work. For the Strathcona Hotel, I developed their master plan for all F&B areas and then implemented renovations of existing bars and restaurants. I also created the concept for a new nightclub which I then delivered and had built.I designed other nightclubs and commercial spaces, such as retail and a VW car dealership extension. My design for a new neighbour pub achieved Planning Consent and was subsequently built. I did brief development, feasibility scheme and preliminary designs for a Cetacean Museum.