Samantha B 
United Kingdom Experience
Freelance Space Planner & CAD Technician
London based Space Planner and Junior Interior Designer with a strong software background and passion to create the best work spaces within the office environment. Whether for small, independent companies or larger corporations, I provide intelligent design solutions grounded in strategic thinking. My specialities include measured site surveying, CAD designing and detailing, mood boards and furniture specifications.
Senior Space Planner/CAD Technician
Worked on a CAT.A refurbishment of 3 floors circa. 9,000sq ft - providing specialty lighting, ceiling and joinery design/recommendations, assimilation of colour palettes and finish specifications. Preparation of colour and fabric packages using presentation/mood boards, finish presentations, colour schedules & binders.
Producing coordination design plans and furniture space plans including office systems furniture, furniture selection, furniture finishes and flooring finishes, coordination with buildings interior, furniture contract documents (drawings, specifications & front-end bid documents).
Custodianship and maintenance of the Global CAD drawing library and Facilities Asset Management Database - controlling approximately 600,000sq ft. and 2300 staff.
Controlled and managed CAD resource and project work register to ensure work is prioritised and customer expectations are managed and met.
Updated and applied modifications to floor layouts and staff occupancy data to produce detailed monthly reporting across global sites for management and financial information.
Communicated with all Global Offices to ensure CAD services and processes are understood and fully utilised.
Owned and delivered the CAD service to the business in line with business changes and requirements, working directly alongside the Global Facilities Manager, creating interior fit-out feasibilities and designs for office refurbishments; preparing and developing the projects drawings, models, images, materials and mood boards.
Controlled the resource management process to ensure prioritisation and smooth workload scheduling, identifying opportunities and making recommendations for increasing workflow efficiencies.
Lead procurement process to select suitable replacement of the Facilities Management Asset Database system.
Design, Space and Occupancy Planner
Contracted to ITV to co-ordinate the design, planning and relocation to new premises of approximately 2500 staff across 3 major central London sites (circa: 230,000sq ft.), supporting the development of the new headquarters for occupation in 2018.
Co-ordinating seamless transition of existing occupancy, while fully occupied and operational, as well as planning transition into new premises with as little disruption to day to day business operations of a 24hour, high profile organisation.
Consulting with key stakeholders on their work space requirements, ensuring all needs are met within their new work space in terms of furniture, A/V, IT, storage and meeting space - undertaking bespoke space planning designs for studio spaces, edit suites, offices and event spaces, enhancing workspace standards to reflect fundamental company brand values through spatial planning, interior design and internal communication channels.
Gained senior management buy-in of proposed office designs by presenting to Executive and colleagues, encouraging change in working culture.
Instigated and managed space utilisation studies within the major locations to evaluate the current state and proposals of areas where improvements could be realised.
Co-ordinating with external construction contractors, Programme and Project Managers, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, Architects, Interior Designers and internal technology and moves teams to align design and development of the project while adhering to RIBA design stages.
Space Planner & Interior Design Consultant / Project Coordinator
Worked on a contract basis, being accountable for supporting projects across entire EMEA; successfully completing over 500 corporate moves within Central London, and across the UK and EMEA.
Responsible for preparing client briefs and planning space allocation; working in collaboration with stakeholders, clients, project managers, IT and telephony teams, furniture suppliers and fit-out contractors.
Produced detailed floor plans to illustrate proposed furniture layout, new build/demolition plans, ceiling plans and general finish plans (detailing carpet specifications, wall finishes, graphics and office branding).
Oversaw and coordinated delivery and planning for all projects in line with timescales and budgets; completing office refurbishments and corporate re-branding for new Thomson Reuters acquisitions.
Compiled and monitored project budgets; liaising with the M&E teams, fit-out contractors, external suppliers, and IT, telephony and data contractors.
Accountable for the tendering and negotiation of awarded contractors.
Managed and coordinated furniture requests and provisions within the UK and Europe; handling all aspects of furniture specifications, sourcing, procurement, delivery and installation.