Glenn Harmon

I'm a native of New England, USA, where the majority of my 30-plus year career was spent, now living and working in the southwest of England. Most comfortable in a client-facing role with the experience to know when to bring in the necessary outside consultants to provide a clear path forward to achieving the desired outcome, I'm technically well versed in all aspects of building construction and envelope design and have leveraged that knowledge in a triage process to streamline the desired delivery by avoiding time wasting fruitless low probability alternatives. Much of my career (15+ years) was spent with a mid-size A/E firm where I was responsible for all facets of the design process from client acquisition to project closeout and included coordinating the various in-house engineering sub disciplines and liaising with the outside consultants and regulatory bodies involved.

Prior to emmigrating I was on secondment in the Building Department of my home city in a contract position created to help shift the backlog of applications where I reviewed the work of other architects and advised on pathways to achieving approval within the framework of current building regulations. As a Certified Code Enforcement Officer, I had the authority to act on violations as well as approve proposals measured against the current regulations. Owing to my understanding of what it takes to make a successful application I quickly became the preferred liaison within the wider design community. The role was subsequently made permanent as overall review time was cut in half during my tenure.

I also served on the Historic Design Review Board for my home city, which required many late nights taking comments at public hearings as part of the formal review process. As a voting member, I had the authority to determine development proposals in the various conservation areas and frequently would provide design guidance to assist the applicant in gaining consent. My approach was never subjective but was always informed by the prevailing applicable local and national ordinances.

I currently sit on the Board of Directors for the London branch of the AIA as the very first candidate to have my American architectural qualifications accepted in Britain under the Mutual Recognition Agreement of 2023. Community involvement includes consulting on the Churchill Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan, past membership in the Deering Centre Neighbourhood Association Board of Directors, and architectural consultant of the Building Committee for a new Passivhaus Quaker Junior School. I also volunteer with the charity Headway Somerset assisting patients with acquired brain injuries.