AN INTRODUCTION
I am an interior designer, with over 25 years experience.
I bring creativity, intrinsic critical thinking skills & a collaborative approach to every project I participate in & take pride in creating great spaces that work for stakeholders & users alike.
I have an in-depth understanding of work spaces & work with organisations to define requirements, exploring opportunities to ensure that their culture & processes are fully aligned & supported. A successful work space allows people to focus, collaborate, develop solutions & exchange ideas. Moreover, work spaces should reflect the brand, values and vision of the business – a place people want to come to.
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I have become adept at all stages of the design & construction delivery process & have been fortunate enough to work with some great & diverse clients - Merlin Entertainments, Nikon, DAF Trucks, Bupa, LinkedIn & DLA Piper, to name a few.
I can work independently & lead the process, or slot into any team as required. I have experience of being an integrated part of a Design & Build procurement process, or acting as part of the professional team. I have spent approximately half of my career as a pitch winning designer in Design & Build, the remainder in consultancy practice.
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Marissa Wallder BA (Hons) MA
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PORTFOLIO
Completed projects + Design development
TRAINING
I place high value in continued research, education & professional development in ensuring informed, considered & innovative environments
EDUCATION
MA Interior Design – Merit
Westminster University, Sept 2011 – Sept 2013
BA (Hons) Interior Design & Technology – 1st Class
London Guildhall University, Sept 1995-July 1997
Brighton University, Sept 1992-July 1994
BTEC National Diploma Interior Design & Technology
City of London Polytechnic, Sept 1990-July 1992
SOFTWARE
Proficient in:
AutoCAD Architecture
​Adobe Suite (Illustrator/InDesign/Photoshop)
Google Sketchup (with Vray)
Microsoft suite
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Trained in:
Revit
EXPERTISE
My expertise covers 4 main fields:
Merlin Entertainments | Maze Workplace | Build by FSL
STRATEGY + APPRAISALS
An appraisal informs the overall project strategy by identifying opportunities to maximise performance & improve efficiencies. This information can then be fed into an initial property search, a portfolio rationalisation & the design of a space.
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I have developed tools such as briefing questionnaires, online surveys & workshops that provide a human-centric approach to defining requirements, as well as utilisation and room analytics, to understand how time is spent within a space & the tasks being undertaken.
When combined, these approaches provide valuable qualitative & quantitative data to explore opportunities such as maximising efficiency & effectiveness, adopting new ways of working & embedding core values.
FURNITURE CONSULTING
Furniture has a major impact on the physical landscape & requires an integrated approach. The furniture procurement process is complex & clients sometimes require impartial guidance & robust cost comparison platforms, whilst also ensuring quality, value & service.
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I work with clients to establish look & feel, develop initial budgets, review opportunities to recycle or re-purpose existing, conduct independent manufacturer showroom tours, produce detailed specifications for tendering, manage the tender process, organise samples/mock-ups, conduct integrated finishes workshops & certify completion following installation. Working closely with the appointed dealer to ensure a successful project delivery.
Kuoni | Maze Furniture Consultancy | Design & Build by Oktra
DESIGN
A well-designed space can be the catalyst that transforms how an organisation operates, collaborates and performs - Boosting productivity & creativity.
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From its physical landscape to its aesthetic appearance, a considered design provides an opportunity to fuse an organisations core values & culture with layouts & design schemes that are fully considered, innovative & inspiring.
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I have become adept at all stages of the design & delivery process & support all information with visual imagery, technical drawings & specifications from RIBA Stages 0 to 7. I have developed robust processes that ensures timely decision making, within an agreed programme & budget, whilst also ensuring quality & compliance.
Merlin | Maze Appraisal | Design | Furniture consutling | Build by FSL
CHANGE + WELLBEING
How the space is used has a big impact on Social cohesion & user experience, which in turn impacts on wellbeing, and an organisations overall performance.
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I work with clients to understand the key drivers of their transformation project, how this integrates with their wellbeing agenda & engaging with the steering team to determine how wellness principles can be integrated into the built environment & to establish any accreditation requirements.
I have developed employee engagement tools, utilised during the initial workplace appraisal stages & post occupancy evaluations once employees have settled in, both of which ensure a smooth adaptation to change & identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
KEY CLIENTS
I have been fortunate enough to work with some great clients throughout my career, each with their own unique brand & culture. Below is a selection of projects that demonstrate my strengths.
KEY SKILLS
INTERPRETING
&
DEVELOPING
CLIENT
REQUIREMENTS
CAREER
1998 to present day
As a creative professional with many years of experience, I have broad skills that provide a solid foundation on projects. The experience gained has also given me an intrinsic understanding & appreciation of diverse workplace cultures & processes, working practices & industry standards.
Resonate Interiors
Jan 2021 - Present day
Senior Associate - Workplace Design
Interior Architecture Consultancy
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Key Clients: Appian, Lockton, BNY Mellon, Tradestars
I was appointed to lead a team of designers & deliver projects ranging from 5,000-140,000sqft. ​
My role included responding to RFP's, leading pitch presentations, taking client briefs & developing the concept design through to technical design & site coordination. This entailed leading coordination workshops & progress meetings with the client project team & the production of innovative design schemes, translated into fully coordinated drawings, schedules & specifications.
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As an Associate I was also charged with training team members, developing BIM protocols, attending regular round tables & presenting at seminars. ​
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iPWC​
Sept 2019 - Jan 2021
Associate Director - Workplace Strategy & Design
Real Estate Consultancy
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Key Clients: MBDA, G4S
I was appointed to develop the workplace strategy & design service offering. This included the development of the methodology & tools, via analogue & digital means to ensure a human centric approach that included qualitative & quantitative approaches & evidence based design solutions.
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My role included engagement with senior project sponsors to define the project drivers & leading the engagement with stakeholders to establish team requirements, workflows & processes, via briefing meetings & workshops. I was also involved in the deployment of observational space occupancy studies to determine the level of utilisation and key activities undertaken, in order to ascertain new ways of working opportunities, improve efficiencies & ensure effectiveness.
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The role required the creation of work setting principles, the development of space budgets, the production of Statement of Requirement reports, Interior Design concept development to RIBA stage 2.0, by way of floor-plate zoning, blocking & stacking, functional adjacency layouts, detailed space planning, sketch visuals, finishes boards & furniture recommendations.
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I was integral in maintaining existing clients & developing new client relationships, via the production of fee schedules & proposals that clearly outlined our scope of services & deliverables.
MAZE WORKPLACE
Jan 2017 - Sept 2019
Managing Director & Senior Workplace Design Consultant ​
Part of The Francis Hunter Group
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Key Clients: Merlin Entertainments, DAF Trucks, Kuoni, Egmont & Nikon
Appointed as a workplace design consultant I worked closely with the Project management team to advise clients at property strategy stage. Developing corporate standards & space calculation tools to assist the PM in developing employers’ requirements & briefing reports.
I was integral in developing new client relationships, maintaining existing clients & securing a direct business stream. In this capacity I was tasked with creating innovative layouts & design schemes, producing specifications & technical drawings to RIBA stage 3.0 & monitoring the appointed ‘detail & build’ contractor.
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The Maze service offering also included workplace strategy & independent furniture consulting, as well as employee engagement questionnaires during initial Workplace Appraisal stages & Post occupancy evaluations that fed into a wellbeing agenda.
FREELANCE
DESIGN CONSULTANT
May 2016 - Jan 2017
PELDON ROSE
Oct 2014 - May 2016
​Senior Workplace Consultant & Concept Pitch Designer
Workplace Design & Build
Key clients: Moo, General Optical Council, Pret A Manger, Unibet
Employed as a lead pitch designer, I assessed employer requirement briefing reports & workplace data, translating them into innovative layouts & design schemes, working alongside the Project Directors, Pre-contracts, M&E & visualisation teams to secure pitches & take the project to the technical/build stage.
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My role also included the development of a Workplace Strategy model to assist clients with property related decision making, by way of workplace appraisals, that required user engagement & observation techniques, such as client questionnaires, on-line surveys, workshops & space utilisation tools, to incorporate into space calculators & test fits & inform the property strategy.
CAPITA
Aug 2007 – Oct 2014
​Senior Design Associate/Divisional Director of Design
Capita Property & Infrastructure
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Key clients: AXA, BUPA, LinkedIn,
Initially employed to provide workplace solutions for occupier, landlord & investor clients at property strategy stage, I was a key driver in raising our profile within the wider Capita Property Management & Market divisions. Presenting company credentials & taking the lead in meetings.
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My role included the production of innovative layouts & design proposals, marketing literature, furniture consulting, client & internal presentations, the production of full specifications & technical packages to RIBA stage 7.0, liaising closely with clients, external consultants, main contractors, sub-contractors & the entire professional team.
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I was charged with establishing & developing the design team, managing fees & resources, whilst ensuring a high level of design output & continuity of procedures & standards.
THE INTERIORS GROUP
Jun 2004 – Jul 2007
Senior Workplace Designer
Workplace Design & Build
CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD
Mid-weight to Senior Designer + Head of Design
Real Estate Consultants
Nov 2001 - Jun 2004
Initially employed to provide workplace design solutions for occupier, landlord & investor clients, I was a key driver in raising the reputation of the design team within the organisation & building surveying functions.
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My role included leading client presentations, the production of innovative layouts & design proposals, the production of full specifications & technical packages to RIBA stage 7.0, liaising closely with clients, external consultants, main contractors, sub-contractors & the entire professional team.
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I was charged with establishing & developing the design team resources, whilst ensuring a high level of design output & continuity of procedures & standards.
MODUS:
May 2000 - Nov 2001
Junior/Mid-weight Project Designer
Workplace Design & Build
WS ATKINS
Mar 1998 - May 2000
Junior Designer
Architectural/engineering Practice
Public Sector-Health & Education design
Francis Hunter Group
I was appointed to establish & develop Maze workplace whilst freelancing with Francis Hunter. The role required the creation of the Maze brand identity, values, website & social media content, fee proposals, business model & processes, fee & resource schedules, as well as overseeing a full-time & freelance design team.
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Trifle Creative
Whilst freelancing I was fortunate enough to work once again with Emma Morley of Trifle Creative, who I partnered with on the Moo project, whilst at Peldon Rose. I assisted with the commercial side of the business by developing & managing fee & resource scheduling & a process model based on the RIBA stages, in addition to leading client briefing meetings & working with the team to create innovative layouts & design schemes, supported by developed design packages.
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Space & Solutions
S&S approached me to assist with the development of a Workplace Strategy model & process to support the business at pitch stage. I worked with the business owner & creative team to create branded tools & processes, whilst also providing coaching for the wider business.
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