Following on from Hazel’s Meet The Team interview, we have Matt Taylor, also celebrating one-year at gcp.
Matt is an Architectural Assistant who has worked for a variety of practices ranging from very small teams up to multi-office national practices. He joined gcp in 2022 to support our housing sector and is undertaking Part 3 training to register as an Architect.
Matt’s early employment enabled him to work on many small projects within sensitive areas such as Areas of Outstanding National Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Conservation Areas, and buildings with listed status. Working later for multi-disciplinary and larger practices, Matt focused on developing masterplans for housing and mixed-use schemes ranging from 10 to over 1000 unit schemes, and progressing these through to planning.
Since joining gcp, Matt has been heavily involved in Retrofit, supporting contractors with on-site works for the fabric upgrade of social housing stock.
Matt’s experience lies most particularly within the housing sector. Through his extensive masterplanning work he brings a thorough understanding of the opportunities and constraints linked to housing development, including the impact of planning policy and sites with special designations.
Having worked with multiple housebuilders and housing associations, he is able to very quickly provide appraisals for housing sites to suit each particular client’s needs.
Matt’s masterplanning experience is balanced with rigorous technical knowledge which enables him to provide technical coordination for volume housebuilding, and support retrofit works in the housing sector. He has particularly been involved in pilot projects for the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and is working towards becoming a qualified UK Retrofit Designer to support projects delivered under PAS 2035.
Morning Matt! What we always like to ask first is, what inspired you to pursue architecture?
I had a big interest in the sciences as a teenager (mostly physics) but come from an artistic background, having two older artist siblings, architecture was what I saw to be a blending of the two interests growing up.
Great! And what has been your favourite project to work on at gcp, so far?
The SHDF wave 1 work (two Rivers) has been a high point for me as the first project ive taken all the way through from planning to completion, with the Help of Michael.
If you want to check our Michael Hanson’s Meet The Team: 23-year Anniversary Interview, click here.
This year has gone so quickly. What has been your best moment with gcp in the last year?
I can pin down any particular moment, but I’ve enjoyed the many social activities, Devon weekend, barbecue, even just the Friday pub, easily the most social office I’ve worked for.
gcp really pride ourselves on our social events and team activities, so really pleased you’ve enjoyed them. What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy playing a lot of boardgames / DND, I also paint digitally in my spare time most days.
And what’s your proudest personal achievement?
I once played paintball professionally (odd one I know its my dads doing) sponsored team and everything, got to play in France once .
Wow. So, if you weren’t an Architectural Assistant, what do you think you would be?
Complete side-step but right up to when I decided on architecture I loved the idea of marine biology, so most likely that. Failing that some kind of artist.
Complete side-step indeed, but not surprising! You are a really interesting person with such varied hobbies. Lastly, I normally ask interviewees to tell us something we might not already know about you?
I can play two instruments, bass and a bit of drums.
Another one for the gcp band! Thanks for your time today Matt, here’s to the next year.
Check out our blog to see more recent staff anniversaries, project news and round-ups of our recent social events.
