'Weird, wonky building has shaped everything I do'

An architect and civil engineer who grew up opposite a landmark building that has just celebrated its 50th anniversary said it had "shaped my life".

Naomi Drown's parents' flats within St Francis Tower in Ipswich overlooked the Willis building as it was being constructed in the 1970s.

It was one of the first buildings designed by Lord Norman Foster, the architect behind other famous creations including London's Gherkin and City Hall.

Ms Drown, who recently met Lord Foster, said he and "that weird, wonky, black shiny building" had inspired her to follow her career path.

"The Willis building has been a big part of my life since I was young," she explained.

"My father took photos of it as it was being built... and he showed me as a child, which inspired me to become an architect and do a civil engineering degree after I discovered various other aspects of Norman Foster's work."

Ms Drown said she remembered walking past the building as a child and seeing her reflection in its glass.

"As I was growing up, obviously that reflection got taller," she said.

"[The building] has shaped everything I do: artistry, painting, architecture; his bridge [France's Millau viaduct] inspired me to do civil engineering.

"I'm still in construction and hope to have a good future going back into the architecture trade."

Ms Drown met Lord Foster in London recently, which she said had been an "amazing experience" leaving her "lost for words".

"[I asked] all sorts of questions about the Willis building in Ipswich, which is my favourite building of all time," she continued.

"Loads of questions I've wanted to ask since uni in my early 20s that I never thought I'd get the opportunity to ask."

The all-glass building opened on 2 June 1975 with a roof-top garden and an indoor swimming pool that was later covered over.

The Grade I-listed building is occupied by insurance company Willis Towers Watson.

Lord Foster previously said the building was "revolutionary" for the time and went against the norm of building a tower that was typical for office buildings.

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