Mark Rees

Associate Director

The most rewarding part of Mark’s role is encouraging his team to improve their knowledge base, reflect on their practice, and enhance their quality of work.

As part of the management team in Bath, Mark leads project teams, with a particular focus on delivery. He works across all sectors, with a passion for delivering the most technically challenging projects in design and innovation. His biggest enjoyment comes from exceeding expectations and finding bespoke design solutions.

What’s your favourite project you’ve worked on to date?

Thomas Street, Auchenflower in Australia. It was a small extension to a residential house, with a client who was nearly as particular as me. I’ve spent a lot of my professional life working on complex, large scale multimillion dollar developments that are technically challenging and intellectually fulfilling, but typically provide limited contact with the end user. So getting to see how much the client loved the end product at Thomas Street was a special moment.

What are the key challenges that affect your sector, or are likely to in the next five years?

Digitisation, or the “the internet of things”. Stride Treglown is already well versed in BIM, but buildings are set to become increasingly interconnected. There’ll be a move towards assessing the performance and making modifications to the internal and external envelopes of a building in real time through the use of adaptive facades and phase change and bio-reactive materials. As digitisation grows, we’ll have more of an ability to understand what our buildings are doing and how we can improve them. This is already being addressed from a sustainable perspective, but as digitisation grows, the commercial and workplace sector will become increasingly more able to manage their costs. I can see it becoming a trend across all building typologies.

Best networking event you’ve been to?

The Insider Awards, where we won Commercial Development of the Year 2017 for 20 Manvers Street, Bath. Of course, it was wonderful to hear others in the industry praise the project, but it was more enjoyable to spend time with our client in a relaxed environment. We built a strong rapport with our client and it was great to have a night with the team to celebrate the culmination of our collective efforts.

Where do you see your career taking you?

I’m keen to help develop Stride Treglown’s technical expertise, especially in relation to material science, material systems and digital design and fabrication. However, my focus in the short term is to concentrate on providing strong technical leadership and empowering other members of staff. Helping them is extremely rewarding, and it’s great to give back to a company that has supported me.

Interesting fact that nobody knows about you?

I was part of the Voluntary Marine Rescue in Australia. We were charged with rescuing people in trouble from 500m to 2km offshore. I tend to think clearly in pressured situations, so it was great to make good use of that skill. It was a very fulfilling time in my life.

Awards

20 Manvers Street: Office Development of the Year – Insider SW Property Awards 2017

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