Architect & Facility Designer Interview

Research facilities, especially those which manufacture life-changing drugs, have unique architectural design and engineering requirements in order to ensure that they provide flexible, sustainable and future-proof solutions.Kashif Ahmed, our next pathbreaker, works as Architect at Novo Nordisk Engineering (NNE), a Pharma Engineering company that designs and delivers quality pharma manufacturing facilities with a focus on compliance, energy efficiency, logistics, and creating an optimal working environment.Kashif talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy fromThe Interview Portal about realizinghis interests in pursuing technology and construction instead of the typical path of architectural design.For students, facility design is heavily dependent on the processes happening in facilities, and all the design approaches are focused on creating functional spaces that maximize efficiency.Kashif, Your background?I spent all my childhood in Bhadohi, which is famous for producing carpets. I studied science and was primarily interested in tinkering with electronics and computers, and my initial interests were found in the same, especially technology; my father is a lawyer by education but is into business, and my mother is a homemaker.What did you do for graduation/post graduation?I did my bachelors in Architecture from the National Institute of Technology Bhopal.Tell us, how did you end up in such an offbeat, unconventional and unusual career?I chose a career based on my interest in attending a technology-oriented college. Though I had been admitted into other colleges, I decided on NIT because I had learnt that the NITs and IITs in India have a culture and the resources to develop technical skills in a student, making it an easy choice.As an only child, I initially did not want to move far away from home, but my parents played a pivotal role in supporting and encouraging me to choose a college based on my interests.How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted?I studied architecture, though my interest has always been in technology. After completing my third year of college, I realized that I should pursue technology and construction instead of the typical path of designing, and that’s how I got interested in construction technologies. I was lucky to be placed in vConstruct Pvt Ltd. (my previous company), where I worked initially as an intern and later full-time, which gave me my first big break in learning and implementing construction technology.I learned VDC (Virtual Design & Construction Software), which was digitally constructing a building that would allow us to analyze any issues arising while constructing it. I got hands-on experience with multiple types of buildings and software used in the construction industry. Initially, I had a tough time understanding the little intricacies of construction as I did not have any hands-on experience in onsite construction, and all my projects being overseas did not help either, but reading up on the drawings, researching online and talking to my overseas colleagues helped me a lot to get the grasp of things.I spent about three years in my previous job and was comfortable with the learnings I was getting. Still, two things always bothered me: onsite knowledge and knowledge of the complete building lifecycle.I used to work on different aspects of building construction but never worked on the whole life cycle of a construction project; these things drove me to seek an opportunity to explore other opportunities and apply my technical skills to learn the aforementioned skills. I was glad to have found an opportunity at my current workplace.How did you get your first break?I got the opportunity to work at vConstruct as part of my college placements.What were some of the challenges you faced?One of the challenges I faced was unfamiliarity with the methodologies and BIM (Building Information Modelling) practices used in the industry. Still, I overcame those by self-study and on job learnings.Tell us about your current roleI currently work at Novo Nordisk Engineering NNE as Architect.NNE is an international company specialising in pharma engineering. We help pharmaceutical companies bring products to market by providing flexible, compliant and future-proof solutions, related to facility design. We design future-proof pharma facilities focusing on compliance in GMP and containment, energy efficiency, logistics, and creating an efficient, functional layout with an optimal working environment. Our conceptual, basic and detailed design services include process layout, user requirement specifications and architectural concepts – all with GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) in mind.My role is a mix of an architect and engineer, as I coordinate between different disciplines to ensure everything goes and fits together while also performing QA & QC ensuring compliance and validating constructability. There is still designing, but it`s heavily dependent on the processes happening in facilities, and all the designing approaches are based on function that follows form instead of form that follows function.I got to experience the complete Lifecycle of a building from conception to design to actual construction. I also got an opportunity to go on-site, which I am grateful for; I also got to interact with different disciplines and learn how everything works together. I learned most of the skills myself and by applying the skills on the job.What’s a typical day like?My day-to-day looks like 95% project work as an Architect, under the guidance of the Lead Architect in medium-sized and large projects and solving tasks independently based on experience.How does your work benefit society?My work helps in designing the most advanced pharma facilities in the world, which manufacture life-changing drugs.Your advice to students?I advise the students to explore their passion and choose a career based on that.What are your future plans?My future plan is to develop more competencies and grow into the role I am in, which will help me perform my role in a better and smarter way.

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