Meet Karl
Masters of Architecture MArch, Class of 2018
Hello, I’m Karl - Communications and Marketing Manager at Alison Brooks Architects in London.
I am also founder of Friends Studio, an architectural start-up supported by Newcastle University’s START UP team since 2019. After graduating, rather than following a traditional industry career, I’ve had the opportunity to follow my own entrepreneurial journey with clients like the BBC, Snapchat, and English Heritage, among others.
I was lucky to be able to integrate academia into my practice at an early stage. I also helped expand InvestIn Education’s architecture internship programme to over 100 countries - while teaching a design studio from 2017 - 2024 at the University’s School of Architecture, Landscape and Planning (APL) and Architecture and Urban Planning (AUP).
Originally from Malaysia, I came to the UK for its strong arts-based curriculum and world-class design syllabus. The system here encourages fresh talent and seeks to nurture creativity as a generator of economic value - giving me the freedom to broaden my creative potential and opening doors to commissions across the UK, Asia and North America.
Academic support
As an undergraduate at Newcastle University, I formed strong relationships with my lecturers and fellow students - many of whom remain close friends and collaborators to this day. Confident that the Master’s programme would be a natural continuation of my BA (Hons) in Architecture, I chose to stay on for the postgraduate programme, also taking advantage of the University’s generous exchange programme to spend a semester in Singapore.
The tutors were instrumental in shaping my experience of industry. Architecture in the UK follows a long, structured pathway (7 years+) similar to law or medicine, but the faculty helped break it down to understand what the aim of each stage was, which made other viable and beneficial alternatives clear. This outlook allowed us to explore interdisciplinary opportunities and collaborations beyond the UK - working with developers, engineers and artists, while still in academia. Many of my peers have since gone on to careers in finance, journalism and AI - which in turn has formed a diverse professional network.
Taking ideas to the next level
Straight after graduating, I launched a spatial design startup with a classmate, with support from Newcastle University’s START UP team. The goal was to push boundaries in placemaking and regenerate underloved streets and spaces in the northeast of England. Over five years, that journey evolved through unexpected commissions, offering a rich array of business lessons.
Post-COVID, the business evolved into a subscription-based service for interior and architectural design - aimed at demystifying systemic challenges faced by new homeowners while still supporting our civic clients. The work started gaining attention and this led to a spot on BBC One’s Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr, a primetime television show with a reach of over 3.4 million viewers in the UK and abroad.
From that experience, I scaled the studio - hiring students, collaborating across disciplines, and growing our fledgling practice to a five-person team. This path naturally shaped my move into design communications, leading me to be Marketing Manager for Alison Brooks Architects, one of the UK’s most awarded architectural practices.
The chance to travel
During my three years of undergraduate and two years of postgraduate study, I was fortunate to take part in several travel opportunities - most notably an exchange with the National University of Singapore, as well as study trips across Europe. Coming from Malaysia, I embraced these experiences as a way to fully immerse myself in local cultures, which has shaped my design practice to put culture and conversation at the forefront. University-led visits to Spain, Germany and the Netherlands left lasting impressions, deepening my understanding of European art and lifestyles.
Nothing compares to Newcastle in the summer
Fresh grads filling the ancient quad, students on the grass having a drink, and the summer shows that happen in the Arts and Architecture buildings on campus - these experiences are second to none!
I love the city for its scale and the richness embedded in its historic fabric - nowhere else in the UK captures that same laid-back conviviality that forms the essence of its charm.
What advice would you give to someone considering Newcastle University and a career in your sector?
Newcastle University offers the best of both worlds - an international standard of academic excellence within a warm, welcoming city that is full of life and diversity. It’s a place where you can actually have it all - work hard and play hard, growing both professional and personal relationships.
As for a career in architecture, my advice is to identify what you want from the outset. The field is vast, with opportunities that extend beyond traditional practice, both in the UK and internationally. Be intentional, stay curious, but mostly be brave in carving out your own path - once you do, as they say, the world is yours.
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