1985 and all that: the North Thames Branch

Whether or not one’s business survives depends on many factors. The extent of personal financial commitments will obviously be significant. This feature has been prepared without reference to fee income and concentrates on practical considerations. It is hoped that it may be of help to those contemplating setting up on their own. E.J. Graves

Multidisciplinary design practice is an interactive approach aimed at producing better buildings. Short lines of communication and a freedom from demarcation produces more vigorous design activity and allows dissective analyses of various solutions. As well as getting a highly integrated design, a client has a singlepoint contact for design responsibility and does not have to act as umpire between feuding disciplines. J.L. Morgan

Historical background The City Corporation celebrated 1989 as the 800th year of the recorded Mayoralty, but it was not until the Great Fire of 1666 that they looked for ‘some skilful citizen, experienced in dealing with fires’ to help avoid a similar disaster. From this beginning, sprang the District Surveyor service for London and the City Offices of Surveyor, Engineer, and Architect. L.W.E. Groome