Overbury are the UK’s leading re-fit company, who set an industry challenge, in collaboration with Beckett Careers, at the start of 2023 for Leeds School of Arts students. Overbury were that impressed with the standard of work produced that they are looking to make this an annual event to give students valuable work experience but also build relationships with future creatives.

Yomna Loutfy, who studies BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design, won a £200 Amazon voucher and a week’s work experience at Overbury as a result of the challenge. Here, she talks through her placement experience.

Tell us a bit about yourself and why you chose to study your course?

My name is Yomna Essam, I am 22 years old and from Egypt. I have always been interested as to how buildings are constructed and the ‘behind the scenes’ of what goes on in the construction industry, which is the reason why I chose to study this course. I think this course changes your views about what a building can be, and it gives you the flexibility and creativity to re-imagine buildings into something completely different. It focuses on sustainability and the best ways to turn a building into a more future friendly structure.

I think a course such as Interior Architecture is the best of both worlds, it allows you to enter the world of architecture and construction if that is your goal, however it also gives you the opportunity to explore more design-based fields such as event/venue design and not just within the field of construction. I think that is what has drawn me the most to the course, it’s the ability to choose my own path after I graduate.

Can you tell us about your placement and the role you’ve been doing?

My one-week placement at Overbury was very exciting! My role was to shadow both the site manager and interior designer, to understand and see how they work within their environment. I was mainly based on site, and I got to see how the 2D drawings and initial concepts have turned into a live buildable project. I got to witness some obstacles that were faced on site that could cause delay in project delivery and I got a better understanding of the process involved in a project and all the little thoughts and details that go into it to make sure it’s done as requested by the client.

What were the highlights of your placement and how has it helped you?

The highlights were mainly going on site and witnessing a live project being built, but it was also being able to see how an architect or a designer would communicate with the client to make sure the client is happy with the design. I even had the opportunity to go to the Manchester office for a day to spend it with the designer, which gave me an insight as to how a designer could be going back and forth between different cities to approve or work on different projects, which I found interesting. I also liked seeing the behind the scenes of a project, things you wouldn’t expect to happen, such as a last-minute change of mind for the client. Seeing how the designer deals with these changes to make sure the client is happy was quite insightful.

I also went on a visit to several material and furniture shops with the designer, I had a look at the samples that they offered and understood how we research and collect materials to display to the client for an upcoming project. I also found out that many furniture and material companies are moving towards net-zero, carbon free, sustainable manufacturing, which was quite impressive and makes you consider several things when designing a project.

What are your plans for when you complete the course?

When I complete the course, I will be applying to several architecture and construction companies including Overbury. I have managed to make good networks within the company during my placement, and I was told to stay connected. I think this placement has given me a good idea of what work in the industry could look like. This course has given me a good foundation to confidently go into the industry to learn, prove myself and gain experience, and I can’t wait to start my career!