As a Project Industrial designer (at Billings Jackson design) I contributed as part of a multi-disciplinary team in a Consortium led by Grimshaw Architects with close collaboration alongside Atkins and Gia Equation. This was an example of deep collaboration to develop the 'Line Wide Components' package of the London Transit network, Crossrail.

Working with a multi-disciplinary team that included Architects, Lighting designers, Structural Engineers, M&E Engineers, Acoustic Engineers, and Quantity Surveyors, a modular approach to component design was used to create a unique product family as well as delivering value through scales of standardisation.

Huge amounts of co-ordination and the sharing of information between the Line Wide Components Team allowed my role within the project to cover many facets and crucial overlaps.

Of these were material research, architectural finishes, early concept development of cladding, and furniture. Alongside these items and fixtures typically thought of as belonging to Industrial design, I was also responsible for interfacing with specialists such as PA and Communications, Security (operations and surveillance), Acoustic Engineers, Lighting designers and Rolling stock specialists to try and strike efficiencies for the project through deep collaboration. By doing this, I developed a deep technical understanding of the issues associated with each component. This enabled the Team to successfully deliver the design, with all relevant drawings and product specification for necessary compliance, adhering to a series of strict standards.

It was a testament to this deep collaboration that Industry could then be given accurate and relevant specifications to tender. These were based on best practise and in some cases broke new ground with novel innovations, to create a world class transit environment.