Interior Architect / Interior Designer in Manchester

Location: Manchester

Type: Full Time – Office Based

Reports to: Creative Director / Head of Design

Visual Architects is a creative design and production studio specialising in immersive interiors, hospitality environments, nightlife venues, experiential spaces, brand activations, and large-scale creative builds across the UK and Europe. We are looking for a highly creative and commercially aware Interior Designer / Interior Architect to join the team and support the delivery of hospitality and entertainment-focused interior projects from concept through to completion. This is a hands‑on role suited to a mid‑weight designer with strong technical capability, creative flair, and proven experience delivering bars, restaurants, nightlife venues, and commercial interiors.

The Role

You will be responsible for leading and supporting interior design projects across all stages, from initial concept development and spatial planning through to technical drawing packages, costing, client presentations, procurement support, and project coordination. The ideal candidate will combine strong creative vision with practical technical knowledge and commercial awareness. You should be comfortable working in fast‑paced creative environments and confident managing projects with values ranging from smaller fit‑outs to projects up to £1M. This role requires someone who can think creatively while also understanding buildability, regulations, timelines, budgets, and operational delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Design & Concept Development
  • Develop creative interior concepts for bars, restaurants, nightlife venues, hospitality environments, and experiential spaces.
  • Produce mood boards, spatial concepts, visual presentations, and design proposals.
  • Translate client briefs into commercially viable and technically achievable designs.
  • Work closely with Creative, Production, and Project teams throughout project development.
• Technical Design & Drawing Package
  • Produce detailed technical drawing packages including construction drawings, tender packs, layouts, elevations, detailing, and joinery packages.
  • Prepare drawings suitable for client approval, contractor pricing, and on‑site execution.
  • Ensure drawings are accurate, buildable, and aligned with project scope and budgets.
• Software
  • Create high‑quality 3D visuals and presentations using SketchUp, Enscape, Blender, and CAD software.
  • Produce visual content that supports both internal planning and client presentations.
  • Work collaboratively with wider design and production teams to refine concepts and outputs.
• Project Management & Coordination
  • Support projects from concept through to final completion.
  • Coordinate with suppliers, contractors, fabricators, and internal teams.
  • Assist with procurement and specification management.
  • Monitor timelines, project budgets, and design deliverables.
  • Attend site visits, installations, and project meetings where required.
• Costing & Commercial Awareness
  • Support or lead project costing and budget planning.
  • Ensure designs remain commercially realistic and deliverable.
  • Understand material selection, fabrication considerations, and operational constraints.
  • Balance creative ambition with budget and programme requirements.
• Compliance & Technical Knowledge
  • Demonstrate good understanding of UK Building Regulations, planning applications, hospitality compliance requirements, and technical detailing.
  • Ensure designs align with health & safety, accessibility, and operational standards where applicable.

Skills and Experience Required

• Degree qualified in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Architecture, or a similar relevant discipline.
• Proven experience delivering hospitality or commercial interior projects.
• Strong portfolio showcasing bars, restaurants, nightlife venues, experiential interiors, and commercial environments.
• Experience working on projects ranging up to approximately £500K–£1M value.
• Strong technical drawing capability.
• Experience producing tender and construction packages.
• Good understanding of project delivery from concept through to completion.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple live projects simultaneously.

Software Requirement

• Essential: Blender, SketchUp
• Preferred: Enscape, Blender, Adobe Creative Suite

The Ideal Candidate

• Highly creative but technically strong.
• Commercially aware.
• Hands‑on and proactive.
• Confident managing projects independently.
• Organised under pressure.
• Passionate about hospitality and experiential design.
• Capable of balancing creative vision with practical execution.

You understand how to create spaces that are visually impactful, operationally functional, and commercially successful.