Hey!
I'm Carmen, I'm an Architectural Historian / Interior Designer based in Cape Town, specialising in architectural heritage and conservation. I have a particular interest in modernism, and I am deeply vested in the brutalist movement in Britain, especially in relation to class politics of the 20th century.
I am currently studying an MPhil in Conservation of The Built Environment at UCT. I found the course whilst researching potential PHD supervisors to approach, and ended up finding that the course was much more suited to my interests, though I would still like to pursue a doctorate in the far off future.
Currently, my MPhil has opened my eyes to how heritage and conservation can be approached in post-colonial discourse, and how we as practitioners must approach these issues with caution, and with a full understanding of these epistemes.
Despite my interest in heritage and conservation, I am still a practicing designer and am actively looking for practical jobs within the field of Interior Design. I am strongly suited to 3D visualisation and illustration based jobs.
I have now lived in Cape Town for a few months now, working freelance from home, and surf coaching on the side, both of which I readily enjoy. I am therefore looking for jobs within my local area.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
Academic Awards
University of Cape Town
// MPHIL Conservation of The Built Environment (CBE)
// January 2024 - Present
University of Oxford, Department of Further Education
// Western Architecture: The Modern Age - Pass
// May 2022 - September 2022
University College London, Bartlett School of Architecture
// MA Architectural History, Merit
// September 2020 - October 2021
Falmouth University
// BA(HONS) Interior Architecture - 2:1
// September 2017 - June 2020
Academic Research
University of Cape Town
// 'The Werdmuller Centre.' 2024
University College London, Bartlett School of Architecture
// THESIS: 'Brutal Instagrammability.' 2021
// 'Park Hill and Class Cleansing: The steel collapse, right to buy, and urban splash.' 2021
// 'Innovative Fashion: Is the computerisation of couture the end of traditional methods of garment production?' 2021
// 'The Mechanisation of Domesticity: How the mechanisation of domesticity effects our relationship with technology in regards to femininity and the home.' 2020
// 'The Bangladesi Community In The Borough of Tower Hamlets (1945-1990), Chen, Downing, Lewis. 2020
Falmouth University
// DISSERTATION: A modern day analysis of Brutalist post-war architecture and how politics in Britain influenced attitudes towards the movement.' 2019
FREELANCE WORK
SOFTWARE CAPABILITIES
I have been working freelance since 2017 in a number of fields. Whilst I primarily work in copywriting & proof reading currently, I still regularly produce 3D models & hand illustrations on commission only.
Heritage Practitioner & Consultant, Cape Town
Copywriting
// Undergraduate Essays & Dissertations, School & College Essays
Proof Reading
// Undergraduate & Postgraduate Dissertations, School & College Essays
// English Translation
3D Design & Visualisation
// Sketch-Up Modelling
// Photoshop Architectural Renderings
Tutoring (Online & In Person)
// Primary & Early Secondary Level. UK-based curriculums
// English, Humanities, ICT.
Illustration
// Freehand Perspective & Architectural Scale Drawing
// Hand Illustration
I am confident in a number of different software programmes across varying different platforms. The list below features programmes that I am particularly confident and/or excel in.
Adobe Suite
// Photoshop
// In Design
// Illustrator
3D Design & CAD
// Sketch - Up
// Vectorworks
Microsoft Office Suite
// Word
// Excel
// Powerpoint
Other
// Mid Journey (AI Visualisation
// Chat GPT
// Google Docs
FURTHER EXPERIENCE
Freelance
// Copywriting, Proof-Reading, Tutoring, 3D Visualisation. 2017 - Present.
Local Surf Lounge Academy
// Regular Voluntary Position. October 2022 - June 2024.
Wolvercote Primary School, River Learning Trust
// Teaching Assistant. June 2018 - February 2024.
Missing Bean
// Barista. September 2023 - February 2024.
Jacobs & Sons
// Waitress & Bartender. December 2022 - June 2023.
The Old Bookbinders Ale House
// Waitress & Bartender. May 2022 - October 2022.