This month we interviewed another of our Trustees, Tracy Meller, Senior Partner at RSHP Architects.

Who are you and what do you do?

I am Tracy Meller, Senior Partner at RSHP architects which I joined 23 years ago when it was The Richard Rogers Partnership. I have oversight on several UK projects across the residential and education sectors and was the partner responsible for the delivery of LSE’s Centre Building.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

In a work context I am very proud to be the first female partner of RSHP and to be able to help shape the future of a practice I joined (as the Richard Rogers Partnership) over 20 years ago. Beyond my career I am proud of raising two confident girls who won’t stand for anything less than gender equality!

What is your favourite thing about your career?

Building relationships, within and between teams. I am a strong believer that a collaborative approach is essential across the wider design, client and contractor team to realise good buildings.

Describe University Design Forum in a sentence?

A unique organisation that brings together clients, user, designers and constructors… all with the common goal of improving the quality of the higher education experience through the design and delivery of exemplar buildings.

What is your contribution to University Design Forum?

I have been a Founder Member since 2018 and a Trustee since 2022. I am a member of the comms group assisting in making the University Design Forum’s name and work accessible to as wide an audience as possible.

What does a good HE building mean to you – quote?

A building which promotes collaboration and which supports innovative learning styles, and importantly a building which its users want to be in, and which enriches their HE experience.

One thing about you that will surprise people?

I can ride a Unicycle

What is your favourite piece of Design?

My favourite building is the Pompidou Centre in Paris, for its aspiration – “a place for all people” for the bravery and vision of its client in supporting the bold design of a group of unknown architects, and for its sheer timeless beauty and engineering brilliance.

What makes you laugh the most?

Spending time with old school friends.

Working from home or office?

BOTH. I love the energy of the studio, and the unplanned conversations with colleagues that only happen face to face. You cannot replicate the learning by osmosis of shared experience of the office, but I also value the quiet time at home to get concentrated tasks done. A hybrid model with a day from home offers the best of both worlds for me… and gives me a weekday when I can walk the dog and have dinner with the kids!

Great talking to you Tracy! Contact admin@universitydesignforum.org if you would like to be our next interviewee, we’d love to hear from you …