I started work at smok in 2011 when the practice’s workload increased and Clive decided he finally needed some company in the office.

Having previously worked at larger teams in larger practices, smok threw me in at the deep end and I was running my own projects from day one. I enjoy the challenges that come with the projects we work on, and the fact that we see them through from start to finish because we have very few projects that don’t actually end up being built.

Prior to joining the smok team, my architectural experience in London was predominantly high-end residential projects, although I was also involved in the restoration and refurbishment of the facade of a famous London department store. Before moving south, I worked in Manchester and Leicester on a range of projects including smaller residential extensions, commercial restorations and large new-build residential developments.

Although we’re a creative practice, we’re also realistic with our approach to projects, and I feel we achieve a good balance between creativity and managing client expectations and budgets.

We have a great team here at smok and I enjoy my working day in the studio, which makes my long commute at the beginning and end much more tolerable.

Katie graduated from Manchester School of Architecture in 2004 and De Montfort University in 2008. She qualified as an Architect in July 2010 having completed her studies at London South Bank University. Katie is an ARB registered Architect and a member of the RIBA. In her free time she likes to do zumba and tries to head overseas as often as possible.