Championing Women in Architecture at White Ink

Sunday 23 June marked 2019’s International Women in Engineering Day – a global awareness campaign which aims to increase the profile of women in engineering worldwide and focus attention on the amazing career opportunities available to girls in engineering and related industries.

Throughout the week White Ink Architects is celebrating by participating in events and each day we will be profiling our outstanding female architects – who are positive role models not only for women now, but also for future generations of female architects.

Áine Glackin, Associate Architect

Áine Glackin joined White Ink in 2009 and today is integral to the management team and the future of the practice.

Early in her career Áine was given the opportunity to deliver £10m projects. In 2011, she qualified as an architect. In 2013 she was promoted to Associate and subsequently delivered her first £50m project. In 2017 Áine was Finalist in the WIBNI ‘Best in Professional Services’ awards and in 2018 was chosen as a UKCW Role Model.

Áine is an active STEM and CITB Construction Ambassador and voluntarily works with the Ulster University Belfast School of Architecture and sits on the Board of Directors of Place NI.

Within the office Áine has established an ethos of teaching and continual learning and has been intrinsic in the development of the Company’s vision and the establishment of a vibrant office culture based on strong core values.

Claire McAteer, Architect

Claire McAteer is an exemplary role model to other young women joining the industry. She is driven, dedicated and passionate and in 2018 was a Finalist in the WICE ‘Best Young Woman Architect’ Awards.

Claire’s ability to show exceptional initiative at an early stage of her career has allowed her to assume increasing project responsibility. When she joined White Ink as a Part 2 Architectural Assistant in 2014, she very quickly became a valuable member of the team and worked on the landmark £48m Terrace Mount project in Bournemouth.

In 2015 Claire qualified as an architect and in 2018 she successfully delivered her first £50m project – Brentford Lock West Phase 2 in London which received multiple RIBA London Awards.

Claire’s role in the company extends to much more than that of Architect. She champions the company’s culture and values and has embraced the practice ethos for teaching through her roles as Part 1 student mentor, University student liaison co-ordinator and STEM ambassador.

Emma Wright, Architect

Emma Wright is a committed architect with a genuine passion for design and construction and a natural ability to think strategically.

Emma joined the White Ink team as a Part 2 Architectural Assistant in 2013 and very quickly excelled in her role. She completed her professional training and qualified as an architect in 2014 and was given responsibility to manage multimillion pound projects, allowing opportunity to realise her own potential. Last year Emma delivered the £57m Holiday Inn Hotel and Staybridge Suites at Heathrow, London.

Emma has enthusiastically embraced technological changes and has helped to drive White Ink’s BIM protocol over the last 6 years. She was part of the Scott Tallon Walker Architects / White Ink Architects team to deliver the new £39m QUB School of Biological Sciences Building – one of the first projects delivered to BIM Level 2 in N.Ireland.

Emma advocates continual learning and development through her role as Part 1 student mentor, STEM ambassador and as a member of the RSUA CPD committee.

Joan McCoy, Director

Joan McCoy is a passionate leader, an excellent ambassador for architecture and an exemplary positive role model not only for women now, but also for future generations of female architects.

Her dedication to practice, the architectural profession, education and the construction industry is un-paralleled; recognised by winning the 2015 European WICE Awards Best Woman Architect and being shortlisted for the AYA 2019 Female Architect Leader of the Year award.

Joan tirelessly promotes the importance of good design in creating a better quality built environment through her pro-active work in the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) and other Council steering groups. In March 2018 Joan featured in the FSB 100 Inspiring Women Campaign, and in June that year she was appointed to RSUA President having previously served as Vice President, Honorary Secretary and Council Member. In this role her focus is on enhancing the public perception of the value of architecture and architects.

She is encouraging younger architects to get involved in the RSUA and has initiated the ‘Early Career Architects Forum’. Joan is dedicated to the protection of the interests of the profession, particularly women, and promotes/supports diversity to inspire and boost the number of women in the industry. As a leader in practice Joan takes an active interest in staff, selflessly promoting and encouraging opportunities for professional/personal development.

Lucy Ashe, Architect

Lucy Ashe is a highly motivated and competent architect who joined White Ink in 2018 after moving back to N.Ireland having gained 13 years’ design experience with leading architectural practices in London.

Lucy has very quickly become an integral part of White Ink, enhancing and strengthening our team as business continues to grow due to the award of construction contracts valued at almost £400m.

Her significant large-scale project experience complements White Ink’s expertise and current portfolio of work and she is instrumental in delivering viable, buildable and highly optimised design solutions for clients.

Sarah McGonigle, Associate Architect

Sarah McGonigle is an exceptional example of the success of the White Ink Graduate Scheme – which aims to attract the very best talent. She is methodical, proactive and curious with a true love for architecture and has significantly contributed to the success of the company since joining White Ink for her Part 1 Placement in 2007.

After finishing her Masters in 2010 Sarah returned to the practice, completed her professional training and qualified as an architect in 2011. She very quickly found her niche in the systematic analysis of complex residential schemes, refining them to maximise efficiency, optimise space, ensure compliance and add value – and excelled at it.

Sarah has since been involved in the delivery of various significant apartment schemes in London, including the £35m Palace View at Lambeth and South West Lands in Wembley Park, a £56m project. She now uses the knowledge and experience gained in this sector to provide advice to contractors bidding for the delivery of similar projects.

In 2018 Sarah was promoted to Associate and is integral to the company’s strategic growth and future direction.

Rachel McCurry, Architect

BIM enthusiast Rachel McCurry is the latest female architect to join White Ink Architects – and is our final female architect to be profiled this week.

Rachel has embraced technological changes in the industry and is highly skilled in Revit and BIM having delivered significant major projects.  Already she is an integral part of our in-house BIM Steering Group and her expertise will be instrumental in delivering fully coordinated design solutions for our clients.

Prior to completing her Masters in Architecture, and subsequently qualifying as an architect in 2017, Rachel explored her passion for Sustainable Design and completed a Masters in this from Queen’s University Belfast. She champions sustainability and will optimise opportunities for sustainable design as she embarks on her career path with White Ink.

White Ink champions all women.
43% of staff and 50% of the management team are female.