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From a young age, I've always looked for connections with the landscape and I'm a passionate environmentalist.

I was brought up on a farm in Northern Ireland which overlooked a lough on one side and a bluebell hill on the other. My parents suspected that I would have a career in construction as I used to spend hours making intricate edifices out of straw bales in the fields. I was never a girl who liked dresses or dolls and was always knee deep in mud.

After studying architecture in Edinburgh, I plagued my tutor for a job and ventured to London where I stayed for six years. My first room in London was a tiny box with a view of a brick wall — but, amazingly, I had one wish fulfilled: a tree was outside the wall with overhanging branches. This highlighted to me that architects can really affect a sense of wellbeing. After getting married and notching up over 30,000 sea miles on a late gap year we literally 'washed up' in Lymington, in the beautiful New Forest, where I set up practice.

From the early days, I made the decision to only take on projects that interest me and with people that I like. Financially, it was not the best decision but the result has been a series of quirky, interesting projects including an Award winning floating Egg where an artist is living for a year. The New Forest is such an inspiring place to work as an architect and is the perfect location for me: the sea on one side and the Forest, with bluebells, on the other. In many ways, I am back where I started.

I love being an architect and often think that I really do have the best job in the world.