Caroline Webb

Inside the front door of our London office, inscribed on the wall, is a quote from Max Fordham.

It reads ‘start with the edge of the universe as a boundary and quickly narrow down to the specific problem’. To me, the essence of Max’s words is, keep an open mind.

When it comes to collaboration with clients, architects and other members of the design team, my mind is open. Regardless of the training people have, I’m always keen to hear what different people involved in the project have to say. I think great ideas can come from anywhere.

As a result of my studies in civil and architectural engineering, I bring a different perspective to both the conceptual and the technical. I’m an approachable professional and I love having a positive impact on the architecture.

Like every engineer at Max Fordham, I’m trained across a broad range of skills relating to mechanical and electrical engineering as well as building physics. I also have a specialty in architectural lighting and am really fascinated by the impact it can have. Lighting can make or break an interior space, and a building’s exterior for that matter. It’s an intriguing blend of science and creativity.

I’ve had the good fortune to work on a number of great projects with some talented design teams. So much of what we do as engineers is invisible or barely noticed by the people that use our buildings, and to me that is something of a triumph. But I love using light to enhance the character of a space, from the subtle to the spectacular. You might call it beautiful engineering.