It’s said that people like doing business with people they like. It’s a view that James Schofield subscribes to. ‘Some people think that engineers are a bit boring but that’s not us at all,’ James laughs. ‘The Nottingham team is a fun group of people to work with – we’re sociable, approachable, easy going… we like to connect with people’.
James is talking about his team, but he could just as easily be talking about himself if his modesty allowed. He joined Price & Myers in 2006 and has built a career over the ensuing years that is founded on long-term relationships and repeat commissions. People like working with James Schofield.
Not unlike many in the profession, James dabbled with the idea of becoming an architect before engineering captured his imagination. It all began on the family holidays of his childhood. ‘When I was a kid, we always went on holidays in the UK,’ he recalls. ‘Wherever we went, my parents would seek out a stately home to visit. My mum and my sister would head inside to look at the paintings and the furniture, while dad and I would stroll around the grounds. Admiring the beautiful old buildings with my father was where my first interest in architecture began.’ By his own admission though, James has a mathematical brain, and the notion of becoming an architect proved a fleeting one.
His strength in maths and physics grew throughout his schooling and set a course for engineering. He never lost his appreciation for architecture, however. ‘I don’t profess to be any kind of expert in architecture. I can’t tell who designed what, like many can. I’m not an aficionado but I know what I like!’ One building does stand out for James though. It was a project that first took him from Price & Myers’ London studio and drew him to Oxford. Pembroke College and its environs holds a special place in James’ heart.
The development of the site adjoining the original Pembroke College was the largest job James had undertaken, and one where he served as the project engineer. ‘Working with Oxford Colleges is such a lovely experience,’ he says. ‘It was a tricky project. The site was next to the old College and on the other side of the ancient city wall. The College had bought eight of the 10 adjoining plots, but couldn’t purchase the other two. We had to design around those two sites. It was awkward for a host of planning reasons, but it is one of my favourites’.
James had shifted to Oxford to take on the project, initially for the period of one year. Ten years later he made the move to Nottingham, partly to be nearer family. One of the things he loves about working for Price & Myers, particularly in Nottingham, is the variety of projects on offer. He’s worked on conservation
projects with listed buildings, big new builds, hospitals, schools, private homes. There are university projects, manufacturing and food processing units. The Nottingham studio has worked closely with the NHS on a lot of their properties, and it’s a relationship that James enjoys. ‘The NHS projects I work on are very rewarding,’ he offers. ‘It is vital infrastructure, and it is beneficial and valuable for people.’ The variation that James encounters on his projects both excites his interest and expands his technical skill. There’s little he hasn’t encountered. ‘I love problem-solving. I love using engineering and applying my skills to any job,’ he points out. ‘I get a buzz when a contractor asks me why have you done it that way, and after I’ve explained why they say ah yeah, you’re right.’
The minimisation of embodied carbon is becoming more important on many of James’ projects, and that makes him happy. He’s long maintained that sustainable design is good design and he’s pleased that many of his clients are sharing that view. ‘Increasingly, our clients are getting on the front foot about sustainability. There’s less resistance, and more people understanding it’s value.’ The employment of Price & Myers’ PANDA software has helped articulate the benefits of sustainable practice for many of James’ clients.
It's the strength of James’ relationships, married to his extensive technical expertise, that has seen his career rise and the Nottingham studio grow. His vision for the practice is to continue to connect with people in the region, and continue to grow the studio. One recent commission involves working on the upgrade of the storied pavilion at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground, a project he’s delighted to be a part of, at a place where he has indulged his passion for cricket over the years. James is a great sports-lover, and enjoys his football as well. ‘Don’t say I’m a Sheffield United fan though!’
We think the strength of his relationships will withstand the shock of this revelation, however.
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