Meet Our New Team Members
During the past six months, our team has expanded, with five new team members joining TINTO, including our new Design & Delivery Lead, Richard Slater. With the diverse backgrounds and range of skills added to the team and exciting projects on the horizon, 2021 is already looking to be a great year for TINTO!
We asked our new team members some questions to find out more about their new roles, what inspires their work, and what exciting projects they are already working on…
Tell us about your new role at TINTO, what are you most excited about?
Richard: My new role at TINTO is an exciting one. I’ll be concentrating on our excellence in Design & Delivery for our clients.
Troy: I’m a Senior Architectural Technician drafted into the practice help out with my technical design experience. I’m particularly excited about relocating to Scotland from London, and a fresh start with an exciting, growing practice and the rebranding with new projects in the pipeline.
Gregor: I have joined as a 3D & Interior Designer. My role at TINTO will be split between assisting the Interior and Architectural Teams, in creating high quality visuals as well as developing detailed interior concepts. I look forward to working with a well-established team to broaden my abilities as a designer.
Chris: I am employed by TINTO as an Architectural Technologist and am responsible for delivering planning consent and building warrant approvals for residential developments. Having been self employed for the previous 10 years, I am extremely excited to be back working within a team, working together, collaborating and utilising each members strengths to achieve greater results for our clients.
Ailish: I have joined the team as Sales & Marketing Assistant, where I am responsible for supporting with client management / customer experience, and digital marketing. I am excited to be learning more about the industry, and to be working with and fun and growing company.
What projects are you already working on, and what are you enjoying so far?
Richard: I’ve been working on two large projects so far. Both are residential, but of completely different scales and types. One is the conversion of a prestigious A-listed building in the centre of Aberdeen, the other is a new build development on the edge of the city centre.
Troy: I’m helping run a large mixed-use redevelopment of an existing site at Stoneywood Gate in Dyce. I am currently producing technical design stage information, as well as obtaining building warrant approval for various stages. It’s my first project in Scotland and although working remotely from London, I’m looking forward to relocating with my family to Aberdeenshire. I’m enjoying experiencing the different nuances in techniques, design and local authorities between Scotland and England.
Gregor: During my short time already spent at TINTO, I have had the opportunity to work on both commercial and residential projects; experiencing the different levels of project development, starting from the Discover & Imagine stage through to the final proposed details. I have enjoyed working with members of the TINTO Team to further portray their design ideas in a way that enhances the design process.
Chris: I am currently acting on behalf of some of our residential clients and am very much enjoying the variety that comes with each individual client and project. The design ethos that TINTO promotes makes working here extremely enjoyable.
Ailish: I am responsible for managing all of our initial client enquiries, project log & planning, and preparing content for our social media & blog posts. It has been interesting and enjoyable so far, constantly learning new things about the architecture and interior processes.
Tell us about your background. What were you doing before you joined TINTO?
Richard: I’ve most recently worked at the same practice that I did when I passed my Part 3 Exam, based in Aberdeen. But I didn’t work there continuously between my Part 3 and now. I gained experience of a variety of project sizes and types working at two really busy chartered architectural practices in Aberdeenshire. I am currently the president of the Aberdeen Society of Architects, a Chapter of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.
Troy: I have worked as a technician throughout my architectural career. I’m originally from New Zealand, but came over to the UK for a working holiday back in 2006 and I’m still here. I have worked on a variety of sectors in the industry, mainly residential.
Gregor: Before working at TINTO, for the last few years I had been studying towards my degree in Interior and Environmental Design at The University of Dundee. After graduating in the summer of 2020, I was grateful to receive the opportunity to work with a small design firm in Glasgow before relocating to Aberdeen to experience a new city.
Chris: After graduating I had 18 months post-grad experience for a small local firm where I was able to sharpen my tools and gain a broad understanding of building regulations and planning policies. Using this experience as a spring board into self employment, I first set up an architectural company for developers who wanted to have their own practice, resources and staff. Following this I went entirely self employed and continued in this manner for 10 years.
Ailish: I had been working in fashion retail since I graduated, working my way up to brand manager. I had always been interested in marketing, and over lockdown I studied an RGU Digital Marketing course which encouraged me to find a role where I could use and develop these skills and creativity in a new way.
What drew you to working at TINTO?
Richard: What drew me to TINTO was the variety of projects, the ambition of the team and the values of the company. That all sounds cheesy and as though it was written for me, but it really is what got me here.
Troy: I was looking for a fresh start at a new company in Aberdeen and Richard had a positive, charismatic energy which I found appealing. There is freshness to the TINTO body of work – I like the variation and it’s a good environment to work in.
Gregor: I was initially drawn to TINTO by their work throughout Aberdeen, as well as their unique approach to the design journey. Their professional yet friendly mix of interior designers and architects appeared to be the right composition within an architectural practice. This combined with their well thought out processes and ambition to evolve as a design firm attracted me as a recent graduate designer.
Chris: TINTO had a prominent reputation whilst I was studying toward my degree and the opportunity to come and work here all these years later was a no brainer. The city of Aberdeen has also always been very good to me and a place I have felt at home so the opportunity to relocate back here added to the appeal the position already had.
Ailish: I knew I wanted to work in a creative environment, but in a different role than I had previously had, and I loved TINTO’s values, especially the human centred approach they have, as helping clients is something I have always been passionate about.
Where do you find your creativity and inspiration?
Richard: I find creativity and inspiration in the team around me. I often wonder how a sole practitioner can work/cope without a team. Not just relating to workload, but also in terms of design discussions. I also love taking time to take photographs. I used to love going on holiday and wandering around taking photos of buildings! But that has changed since having kids. Now it’s photos of my kids. Without even knowing it I think kids inspire us adults. So they too would be my inspiration. More cheese!
Troy: I like a simple, well set out and understandable set of information, and when projects run smoothly – that in itself is my architectural inspiration.
Gregor: My personal design style normally centres back to Scandinavian principles and the Hygge ideology of living. I am inspired by the way that tactility and lighting specifically are used within interiors. This interest first began when I was introduced to ‘The Eyes of the Skin – Architecture and the Senses’ by Juhani Pallasmaa, a short book that I highly recommend!
Chris: From early in my career I have been extremely pro-development and have a great desire in assisting clients in achieving their goal. For the most part being able to be part of their journey and delivering to them a finished building project that they can go on to enjoy and create memories in is the reason I do what I do.
Ailish: I studied fashion so that has always been something that inspires me, as well as travelling and experiencing new environments. I love when you can see you have made a difference to someone or something, which in itself can be rewarding and inspiring.
