Philippa Klaschka

Associate Director

Philippa particularly enjoys networking and meeting new people. Passionate about growing our Central South network, she regularly attends events and conferences and currently sits on the committee for Women in Property and the Little Britain Challenge Cup, a construction and property industry sailing regatta.

Since being part of our team, Philippa has predominantly run education projects, and has become increasingly involved in business development across our Southampton region. Her interests are broad and range from leading multi-disciplinary bid teams and strategic front end design to the technical delivery of projects and management of contractor relationships. Philippa is also a member of our Senior Leadership team in Winchester and helps to ensure the smooth running of the studio.

Why did you choose a career in architecture?

Art was my favourite subject at school but I also really enjoyed physics. I loved the conceptual side of drawing but I’m equally interested in how things are put together. Art can sometimes be fluffy, but I’m generally grounded in the practical side of life so architecture was the perfect balance between the two. I was heavily influenced by the northern industrial heritage, especially railways, mills and the wider Victorian landscape. Their architecture was quite practical, and I’ve definitely channelled that attitude into my work.

What are the main challenges facing education?

With increasing population and decreasing availability of urban sites, new schools are required on increasingly challenging sites which require more bespoke solutions. This complicates the efficiency of the delivery of a new school and makes MMC less likely to be applied. Technical solutions are becoming more complex also to align with current standards for sustainability and fire safety. Budgets aren’t going up so it’s an ever changing and challenging balance to deliver any project.

Do you have a proud moment?

I am proud of being able to balance a career and a family, and I am also pleased that Stride Treglown is accommodating of that. Even though I came back from maternity and worked part time, it’s been great to have an opportunity to run a challenging job straight away – they had the confidence in me to do that.

What is your favourite networking event?

The Little Britain Challenge Cup because it’s such a big annual event and I’ve been on the committee for eight years now. The event involves two days of yacht racing against other construction and property professionals, followed by evening entertainment and networking. It’s also very exciting to run their social media – I’m a big advocate of using the online world to connect with others and grow your network. I wouldn’t be at Stride Treglown if it wasn’t for meeting Rachel Bell on Twitter!

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself?

I’ve reached Everest base camp and it was the best thing I’ve ever done.

Industry bodies
  • RIBA
  • ARB
  • Little Britain Challenge Cup – Committee Member since 2010.
Awards
  • UK Construction Week 2020 Role Model, Shortlisted

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