Graduate Inclusive Design Consultant 2021
Accessibility is determined by the way the built environment is designed, constructed, managed, and maintained. Buro Happold’s Inclusive Design team understands how environments can have an impact on people and because of this we advise and guide design strategies that can allow all people to go about their daily lives without undue effort or exclusion. Inclusive design offers more than compliance with Statutory Guidance – it offers a quality of experience for all.
Our aim is to deliver elegant, cost-effective and flexible solutions which meet the needs of a wide range of users, fulfil current social legislation and complement the aspirations of clients and architects, improving the quality and accessibility of the built environment.
Our specialist team wrote the book on inclusive design and therefore are unparalleled in their ability to provide pragmatic advice on a range of practical and economic measures to improve usability, service delivery and facilities. When designing for Inclusive Design, we take into account potential social, cultural and community users to provide an inclusive environment suitable for diverse user groups, including disabled people, older people, carers, people of diverse faiths and parents with young children. Most recently the team are authoring a new BSI PAS on Neurodiversity and the Built Environment, as well as exploring the overlaps between Inclusive Design, Social Value and Health and Wellbeing.
Where a single design solution cannot accommodate all users, our aim is to provide as much choice and flexibility as possible.
Our team is well versed in applying the principles of inclusive and barrier-free design in a wide range of projects, including:
- Cultural buildings
- Offices
- Urban infrastructure schemes and transport systems
- Mixed-use led developments
- Stadia
- Multi-family residences and hotels
Using our years of collective experience, we understand how people, spaces and technology all interact with one another and we design accordingly. Our strategies are not formed in isolation but reflect current good practice and social attitudes.
The Role
Joining our team as a Graduate Consultant, you will be working closely with our experienced team of Inclusive Design professionals working both on a project design basis but also advisory, helping to shape policy.
The role will be busy and varied but will typically include
- Undertaking detailed inclusive design reviews of projects in the form of plan checking, site visits and report writing
- Providing support for senior consultants on projects
- Alongside senior staff, attending meetings with the client, other professionals and suppliers
- Assist in ensuring that all decisions represent BuroHappold's approach to inclusive design and best practice standards where feasible
- Undertaking work across several varying projects at the same time as required
- Working to ensure service and project work are carried out within agreed deadlines and that appropriate service/design decisions are met
This role presents the ideal opportunity for a design-focused individual with an interest in how people interact with the built environment to carve their career in an expanding field. Working with leading professionals, you will receive exceptional support and development opportunities.
What projects would I work on?
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games - as part of Buro Happold's masterplanning role for the Olympic Park and its legacy, we wrote the award-winning Inclusive Design Standards for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games. These were subsequently praised as ‘the most accessible games ever’.
Brent Cross Cricklewood Regeneration, London, UK - The shopping centre will form the bustling hub of the new town centre, comprising a welcoming network of covered streets and spaces that will provide world class retail, dining and leisure amenities.
Library of Birmingham - Buro Happold’s Inclusive Design team provided access advice throughout the design and planning process, helping to make the library an exemplar [of inclusive design] as per the client’s brief.
We would anticipate that you will be able to demonstrate:
- An interest and some experience in Inclusive Design and how people interact with the built environment.
- Emerging capability in the relevant Buro Happold Core Competencies (i.e. technical, communication & collaboration skills)
- Commitment to CPD and self learning/development
- A proactive attitude and an interest in problem solving
What degree would I have studied?
We have a wide range of backgrounds in our team, so we are open to applications from many degree backgrounds, however a guide to some of the people in our team at the moment are as follows:
- Architectural Engineering
- Interior Design
- Product Design
What you can expect from us
A plethora of interesting and challenging projects to stretch your professional skills, a friendly and close knit team, flexible working and a competitive reward package. The opportunity to work on multidisciplinary projects aside a range of specialist engineers and designers both within BuroHappold and our collaborators.
We have recently adopted a new framework focused on early careers development. This allows our Graduates to learn the fundamentals of design and technology whilst building a base in consulting and professional skills. This is a blended learning programme where participants gain experience against our internal professional and technical frameworks in relation to their specialism.
In addition, we see membership of a professional body and professional registration as crucial to the development of our engineers and offer substantial support to those aspiring to achieve this. We aim to support employees to achieve the highest level of membership and registration their academic background allows.