Meet the latest addition to the Plankbridge team – Technical Designer Alasdair Graham, whose passion for huts was carved out building increasingly ambitious projects on his parents’ farm
Can you tell us a little about your background and how you came to join Plankbridge?
After school I went on to study for a degree and masters in Environmental Science but I’ve always tinkered around my parent’s farm, using old scraps to work on increasingly ambitious projects from bird huts to eventually a whole cabin. After three years working for myself, solidifying a passion for small builds, huts, cabins and greenhouses, I was passed an advert for a position at Plankbridge and thought I’d investigate as they seemed to be the industry leaders in producing the very sort of spaces I had decided to focus on. A month later I was through the door.
Tell us about your role of Technical Designer. What does it involve?
My role at Plankbridge mostly revolves around design, taking a project from its initial conceptual drawing through to full technical workshop drawings and then seeing each project through production.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Every day presents a new set of creative ideas and design challenges, which involves working closely with the workshop team. I find there’s a particular satisfaction to bringing together a group of minds and coming to an agreement on the best outcome. Communication is a big part of the job.
What does a typical day look like?
My colleague Ian and I normally get our heads around what the day’s priorities are before getting stuck into whichever project needs our attention. There’s often custom furniture that needs drawing or an initial drawing for a customer. I usually have a walk around the workshop and see how projects are coming along and if everyone’s happy. There are usually some questions about a particular part of a project, especially if it’s something we haven’t done before. There’s always something to learn from each department that might result in design changes.
If I could have any Plankbridge shepherd’s hut…
I would have to go full custom with a sauna at one end and living quarters at the other. I would have it all, no holding back – a huge skylight, a deck with a copper roll-top bath, great lighting, shutters, a woodburner, kitchen, outside shower and all running on solar panels and delivered to my own little plot, preferably by a lake, please.
Do you have a favourite colour from the Plankbridge colour card?
I love Oak Apple.
Favourite thing about living and working in Dorset?
Family, friends and the sea. That’s three, but they combine to make quite solid roots.
Meet more members of our team here
