Trained in architecture and driven by a passion for design, our new Technical Designer Mike has swapped residential properties for handcrafted huts from Plankbridge…
Have you always been interested in design and architecture?
Yes, pretty much for as long as I can remember. My mum’s an architect, so I grew up surrounded by her drawings and the houses she designed. That definitely rubbed off on me and I was always drawing, making things and model-making as a child. I knew I wanted to follow in her footsteps from an early age.
Where did you study?
I did my one-year foundation at Arts University Bournemouth, then my undergraduate degree in Architecture there too. I took a year out in industry, coincidentally working for a hutmaker in Wareham who made showman’s wagons and gypsy-style huts. After doing my master’s, I worked at a commercial architecture practice in Ringwood, followed by a residential practice in Canford Cliffs, and that’s when I saw the role at Plankbridge. It felt a bit like coming full circle – my very first design job had been in hutmaking and now I was returning to that world, but with all the architectural knowledge and experience I’d gained along the way.
Tell us about your role at Plankbridge. What does a Technical Designer do?
I take concept drawings and turn them into technical drawings that the workshop team uses to build the huts. I also help prepare drawings for clients, hotel groups and tender documents, and I work closely with the workshop – we’re constantly in collaboration as things progress.
Do you enjoy that interaction with the workshop?
Definitely, it’s great being able to talk through details with the team, learn from them and work out a solution together. Because we’re all under one roof, it’s easy to solve anything that comes up.
What do you enjoy most about working at Plankbridge?
There’s a real sense of magic and craftsmanship here – everyone genuinely believes in what we’re making. The quality of the work and the level of detail that goes into each hut is incredible. The people are great too – it’s a really friendly, creative team.
Do you find similarities between architecture and what you do now?
Definitely. The process is actually very similar – you start with a client brief, interpret their ideas, create drawings and then work with the team to bring it to life. The only difference is that Plankbridge ‘houses’ are on wheels (mostly, but not always). In many ways, it’s like creating a perfectly formed home in miniature, but the design and attention to detail are the same. In traditional architecture, though, you might not see your design built for years and years, once it’s gone through planning – here I can be involved from the first drawing to the finished hut within a matter of months.
Have you had a favourite project so far?
Yes, a Guest House we built recently for a couple in the New Forest who wanted it for when their parents came to stay. That was the first project I took right through from concept to workshop drawings and completion. It felt amazing to stand inside it and say, “I designed this.”
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love the fact that it’s fast-paced and never boring. Each design brings new challenges, materials and details, so I’m constantly learning. No two days are ever the same.
What do you enjoy about living and working in Dorset?
Being by the coast. I get down to Portland whenever I can to go rock climbing, and living in Bournemouth means I can head out for a sea dip whenever I fancy it. It’s quite urban, so driving to West Dorset to the Plankbridge workshop every morning is amazing – driving down winding roads and past open fields, feels like escaping to the country.
- Meet more members of our talented team here
