Learning Both Ways
One of the most meaningful parts of the past year has been mentoring and line-managing Hillary Sembeguya through Build The Way C.I.C., alongside David Kay and James Felstead.
My own route through architecture has taken me across Hong Kong, New York and London, through different types of practice and areas of the profession. At each stage, I benefited from people who took the time to share their knowledge and help me navigate unfamiliar ground. That experience has shaped how I have approached mentoring.
It has been a privilege to watch Hillary and the wider cohort grow in confidence, present their ideas and engage with the built environment with such care and curiosity.
The experience has also been a reminder that mentorship is reciprocal. In trying to make the profession clearer for someone else, I have become more reflective about how I communicate, support others and understand my own way of working.
I am grateful to have played a small part in the journey, and to everyone who has brought such generosity and commitment to the programme.
Why Build The Way Matters
Build The Way offers young people a paid, alternative route into architecture and the wider built environment. Through placements within London practices, mentoring and exposure to live projects, it makes a profession that can often appear difficult to enter more tangible and accessible.
I believe that talent should not be limited by how early someone discovers architecture, whether they understand the conventional route into it, or whether they already feel that they belong. My own career has crossed countries, disciplines and different types of practice, and I know how valuable it is when someone takes the time to explain the less visible parts of the profession and gives you space to find your own way through it.
CGL’s continued involvement reflects a belief that widening access requires more than a brief introduction. It means offering meaningful experience, practical guidance, trust and the opportunity to contribute. The exchange also benefits the practice: trainees bring fresh perspectives and thoughtful questions that encourage us to reconsider what we may otherwise take for granted.
To anyone thinking of applying, you do not need to arrive with everything figured out. Curiosity, commitment and a willingness to learn are a strong place to begin. For practices and professionals, taking part is a practical way to help create a more open and representative profession.
