House of the Future 3rd prize winner - Thomas William Ewing

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the 3rd prize winner of our "House of the Future" competition – Thomas William Ewing!

Thomas William Ewing

Please tell us about your company (when it was founded, where it is based, how many employees, etc) Alternatively, if you do not have a company, please give us some insights on your own professional/academia background.

I studied at the Manchester School of Architecture, graduating with a 1st class degree in 2018. Since then, I have worked for a small architecture firm, a construction company and freelanced as an architectural visualiser. Currently I work as a Project Manager for a specialist construction company based in Norfolk focused on the restoration and conservation of historic buildings.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance, what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where the company/ individuals have been Involved?

We work on a range of scales, from one-off private extensions to larger conservation projects involving ancient monuments in the public realm. One of the current projects we are working on is a grade 1 listed hall set within rural Suffolk. We are undertaking remedial work and correcting past interventions that have proven to be unsuitable for the historic building. Alongside this project I am also managing a sensitive refurbishment and expansion to a 300+ year old fisherman’s cottage outside Burnham Market, a village on the North Norfolk coast.

Why do you participate in architecture competitions?

I participate in architecture competitions for fun, to explore new ideas and to develop my skillset as a designer.

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture competitions?

If you are looking to develop your craft as an architectural designer, competitions are a great way to do this. But they can take up quite a lot of time, so I’d only participate if you have the aspiration to fully invest in the process.