Name
Matthew Dyer.

When did you join Austin-Smith:Lord?
September 2018.

What is your role within our Creative Collective?
Head of Conservation.

What are you working on at the moment?
Old College Aberystwyth, Coliseum Theatre, Caerphilly Castle, Woodchester Convent, Bexhill Town Hall, Newport Transporter Bridge.

Which designers / projects do you most admire and why? 
Carlo Scarpa. His understanding of history, space, materiality and technique created buildings that are timeless.

What is your favourite place / building / landscape and why?
My favourite places seem to change depending on what place or site I have visited most recently! But the two experiences that have stayed with me are coming over the bridge and seeing Hampton Court Palace for the first time, and seeing the Louvre from the Carrousel. Both are instantly identifiable and the Lescot Wing at the Louvre in particular was incredibly influential on later French architecture.

What is your favourite Austin-Smith:Lord project and why? 
The Great Pagoda at Kew. It was such a well-researched and executed project, it’s hard not to admire the work that went into it which shows in the end result.

Which of Austin-Smith:Lord’s guiding principles do you most relate to, and why?
Knowledge sharing and life-long learning. We constantly strive to learn which benefits us as individuals and as a practice, and the clients and communities we work with. Knowledge sharing allows us to learn from each other, find better ways of doing things and I believe it fosters strong relationships.

Which fictional place would you like to visit?
I think Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory would be a great day out.

What’s something you’re planning on doing in the next year that you’ve never done?
Buying a house I hope. I’ve always put it off but I’m finally content to say I am where I want to be.

Complete the following – “I couldn’t get through the week without…”
My family. My nephews in particular allow me to be scruffy, silly and forget the serious stuff we all have to deal with in life.