Lizzy Westmacott

is an Associate Director and Regional Head of Sustainability at ECD Architects

Tell us about your career journey. How did you get started in the field of architecture?

It wasn’t something I always dreamed of. Even though I always enjoyed art and making things, I didn’t even take art for GCSE. I was contemplating studying engineering or medicine, but then my mother suggested architecture might be like engineering, while allowing me to be more creative. After a week of work experience and a summer school at Wimbledon School of Art – both of which I really enjoyed – I was sold.

Were there any pivotal moments or experiences that solidified your decision to pursue a career in architecture and design?

The work experience I did helped massively. I particularly enjoyed the studio environment, the team briefed me to create a model, which was then taken into a real-life client meeting. Maybe for me, the bigger pivot has been moving into a more sustainability-focused role. This has been more of a slow transition, but as I became more aware of the urgency of the climate crisis, it started to feel wrong to just carry on as if there isn’t a problem.

If you hadn’t followed your passion for being an architect, what other career path would you have pursued?

I seriously considered engineering and becoming a doctor. In a way, my role now is quite ‘engineering-esque’ at times, but I’m happy with my choice. It turns out that within architecture, there are so many routes you can take. However, if I just got to do something fun, I’d quite like to make hats.

Who has been your greatest influence and source of inspiration?

There are so many. Architects and other construction professionals who are interested in sustainability tend to be a really lovely bunch who want to share for the benefit of each other and the planet. I’m lucky to have great current colleagues, as well as inspiring past colleagues and to be part of a group of architecture ‘heads of sustainability’, all of whom support each other – now that is inspiring.

What’s been the most memorable project you’ve worked on?

I lived in New Zealand for a few months and helped to build a timber tiny house on a trailer. It’s not what I normally do, but it was such a change and obviously memorable being outside, nailing and sawing, overlooking the town of Wanaka, and popping down to the lake for a swim after work; pretty much heaven!

Can you share a personal anecdote or experience that taught you a valuable lesson about being an architect?

During COVID, I lived with my parents in Yorkshire for a while. It was great, but very removed from the projects I was working on in London. Designing on the computer started to feel a bit like playing a computer game. And then I went back to London and went to a home that we were going to retrofit and talked to the residents and it all seemed purposeful again. Without people involved, our buildings are pretty pointless!

Could you walk us through a typical workday in your current role?

It’s so varied, which I love. It might involve working on energy models using the Passivhaus Planning Package, working out where the energy inefficiencies of an existing building are and how that can be addressed. I could be doing this alongside colleagues in London, Glasgow or our new Preston office.

It’s really rewarding seeing reactions from clients and residents when we update them on our energy-efficiency solutions and how we can reduce the carbon emissions in their buildings.

I also get to stick my nose into other people’s projects, exploring ways to make them more sustainable. I love the chats where we’re bouncing exciting ideas off each other, which lead to better outcomes.

What is your favourite building?

Neues Museum in Berlin is a wonderful example of bringing an old building back to life. The evident care and understanding that allow the new and old to be seen is something beautiful and an inspiration for how we retrofit buildings.

In your opinion, who is the greatest architectural mastermind of our time?

I don’t think it’s one person. I think it’s the hive mind of lots of people trying really hard, often in their own time, to make buildings more energy efficient, resilient and comfortable. So instead of a person, I’m picking LETI, the Low Energy Transformation Initiative, which demonstrates how enthusiastic people can collaborate to educate others and actually change client briefs and Government policy.

If you were hosting a dinner party to discuss architecture and design, and you could invite three individuals, either from the past or the present, who would you choose to join your conversation?

I moved to Glasgow just over a year ago, and I’d like to chat to Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, about what he thinks about how Glasgow’s changed and what opportunities there are for its future.

I’d also invite Rachel Carson, the Author of ‘Silent Spring’, to talk about being a relatively early environmental activist and what inspired her and how we can make change happen.

And Barnabas Calder, whose book, ‘Architecture from Prehistory to Climate Emergency,’ talks about the relationship between energy, architecture and society in an original way and I hope helps to frame where we go from here.

Looking ahead, what exciting projects or initiatives can we anticipate from you in the coming year?

We are working with a collaboration of local authorities to see how we can most efficiently understand the steps they need to take to decarbonise their non-domestic buildings and, crucially, how this can be integrated with their ongoing maintenance plans.

We are making great headway in the north of England specifically, where there are many opportunities to improve social housing and bring energy-efficiency upgrades to thousands of homes.

This year, I’m also collaborating with a friend from another practice to start a Scotland Heads of Sustainability group; it’s so enlightening to share the knowledge, support and inspiration we’ve both been lucky enough to have at our respective practices.