Page 28 - Real Rochdale - Autumn 2018
P. 28

LATIFAH Mcintosh








                                                                         Design co-ordinator

                                                                              helping shape
                                                                         Rochdale Riverside




                                                                   atifah McIntosh, the design co-ordinator at
                                                                   Willmott Dixon, is helping shape Rochdale’s
                                                              Lnew shopping and leisure development as
                                                               work continues in the heart of the town centre.


                                                               Graduating from Leeds Metropolitan University
                                                               with a degree in construction management in 2014,
                                                               Latifah has taken on various roles at different
                                                               construction sites, from being part of an operations
                                                               team for a £15 million secondary school renova-
                                                               tion, to working as an assistant design manager for a
                                                               mixed-use development.
                                                                                                                                   “My first work experience was at St Cuthbert’s,      the retail side of the town centre, especially with
                                                               Now the design co-ordinator for Rochdale’s
                                                               Riverside project, Latifah is adding to her experience              Rochdale working on a demolition, new build          the cinema. There are several units for
                                                               as she works further towards her goals.                             and then refurbishment for a year. After that I      restaurants too.
                                                                                                                                   worked on Fair Street in Manchester with
                                                                                                                                   Carillion developing a student block, when I         “It also benefits the town as it’s a modern
                                                               She said: “I have been working with Willmott Dixon
                                                               on the Riverside project since February.                            finished university and was taken on full time.      retail complex in an open space; there are a lot
                                                                                                                                                                                        of pedestrian areas in the development like the
                                                                                                                                    “On this project with Wilmott Dixon I am            ones around Number One Riverside, as well as
                                                               “I always wonder when my interest in construction
                                                               began. At college I completed A-levels in sociology,                responsible for managing and co-ordinating           places for people to sit and relax, which I think is
                                                               psychology, law and photography, which are clearly                  the design process.                                  a particularly good aspect of the scheme.
                                                               not construction related. As a teenager, I always had
                                                               an interest in buildings and the way they look, and                 “We regularly hold design workshops to make          “After this scheme is completed, I will most likely
                                                               I liked the idea of seeing how these buildings really               sure the project is within the budget and I also     move on to another project, but one of my goals
                                                               came together from design work, so I guess                          bring together the supply chains, making sure        in 10 to 20 years’ time is to move and work in
                                                               construction is just something I progressed into                    everything is right. I manage the building control   Australia. With having a construction degree, it’s
                                                               from my interests.                                                  and planning side of things too, whilst issuing      really helpful in gaining a skilled visa.“
                                                                                                                                   drawings and samples.
                                                                                                                                                                                        Wilmott Dixon, which specialises in leisure
                                                               “I originally applied to my chosen university for
                                                               construction project management, but that course                    “My favourite part of the job is definitely the      complexes, also constructed the £10m Rochdale
                                                               got cancelled so I chose construction management                    customer side of it because you’re showing and       Leisure Centre in 2012. St Anne’s Academy in
                                                               instead and I ended up really enjoying the course.                  talking them through the process of what you’re      Middleton was another project.
                                                               There was only one other female on the course and                   delivering and what they are going to be using at
                                                               the rest were male.                                                 the end of it all. There’s a lot of problem solving   Rochdale Riverside will have 200,000 square ft
                                                                                                                                   and technical aspects too, which is always inter-    of retail and leisure space to encourage
                                                                                                                                   esting trying to fix and solve something.            investment and the regeneration of Rochdale.
                                                               “My second and third year of university was work
                                                               experience, where I could actually see things
                                                               happening on-site. I could apply what I had learnt                  “The scheme benefits Rochdale as it is going to      The project is due to be handed over in the early
                                                               whilst continuing to learn more about the role.                     bring a lot more footfall to the area in terms of    summer of 2020.
             28                                                                                                                                                                                                                         29
   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33