Apprenticeship Success: Darienne Qualifies as Architect

The apprenticeship scheme lasted four years and took Darienne through her Part 2 Masters and Part 3 qualifications. It involved spending one day a week at university and four days in the office, enabling her to combine academic learning with hands-on experience. Apprenticeship schemes offer a practical, inclusive route to qualification, helping to reduce student debt, support career progression within practice, and ensure apprentices develop the professional and technical skills needed to thrive in the architectural profession.

Whilst at university, Darienne received distinctions for every module in her Part 2 and Part 3 studies, including for her Part 2 Masters project which involved the design of a new art gallery and artists' studios in Venice. Her thesis design project was a climate research centre in the Dolomite Mountains, which she received the RIBA South Award, an RIBA President's Silver Medal nomination, and a sustainability award for.

During the last four years, Darienne has worked on a wide range of schemes for Richmond Bell, including the renovation of Mulberry Farm, where she was responsible for the design of a contemporary extension to a traditional farmhouse. She also drew up the technical drawings for An Artist's Studio and is currently involved in the designs for a replacement dwelling in Hampshire that will be built using SIPs construction.