Martina Murphy +
Responsible for the creation of a student-focused culture at Ulster which seeks to align institutional requirements with a strong architectural philosophy and underpinning. Dr Murphy oversees the continuous improvement of the BA Hons and MArch courses in terms of teaching, staffing and professional development to meet peer and prescribing body requirements.
Peter McNie +
Peter is a multidisciplinary designer and architectural researcher, with a particular focus in the architectural design process.
In 2010 completed his Masters in Architecture at Ulster University, and thereafter established a multidisciplinary design practice which outputs a diverse range of projects including; residential design, commercial and retail interior fit outs, furniture and graphic design.
As well as personal practice, since 2010 Peter has had the opportunity to return to Ulster University to teach as a visiting lecturer and become a PhD reseacher, and is now a teaching fellow, working alongside Professor Paul Clarke in the ‘WaterLands’ SuperStudio and a Design Theory and Communication module coordinator. The teaching carried out over the past number of years has been focused on his research area; in particular drawing and communication within the architectural education process.
Mike McQueen +
Mike is a registered architect and academic.
Having studied in Belfast and London, industry experience has been in award-winning practices and projects in London, Melbourne and Belfast, he joined Ulster as one of the original academic team establishing the Architecture programme in 2004. Mike is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has acted as Course Director and School Learning and Teaching Coordinator, as a member of RIBA validation panels and as an independent validation advisor.
Students from Mike’s final year studios have won multiple student awards and secured placements with world-leading architects such as OMA, ZHA, Massimilano Fuksas and Bolles+Wilson.
Research and outreach activities have focussed on participatory approaches to architectural production, examining live-issues and grass-roots community empowerment in complex multi-stakeholder development contexts.
Lisa Park +
Lisa Park is a Teaching Fellow at Ulster University. She is also Founder and Partner at Studio Park Architects. Lisa has been a registered architect for 13 years and has been working in practice for almost 20 years in Belfast, Sydney, London and Poland. She first worked at HTA Architects in London, where an early interest was established in housing, urban regeneration and sustainable communities.
Lisa studied at Queen’s University Belfast and also, the Mackintosh School of Architecture at the Glasgow School of Art. While studying at ‘The Mac’ Lisa completed a research Masters exploring public engagement with architectural ideas and the impact of policy decision makers on the growth of our cities and dispersion of communities.
After studying, Lisa returned to Belfast and worked on a number of smaller-scale, high-end interiors, infrastructure, residential and commercial fit-out projects, before moving to Australia. While living there, Lisa taught at the University of Tasmania and was Guest Critic at the University of Technology, Sydney. Lisa was an Associate at PTW, one of the oldest and largest practices in Australia. There, she oversaw teams working on multi-million dollar urban regeneration, housing and infrastructure projects.
Lisa’s practice, Studio Park Architects, focuses on producing thoughtful designs that will stand the test of time and have a positive impact on those who engage with or utilise the buildings. Every aspect of the design is considered, in particular the choice of materials and technologies used.
Aoife McGee +
Aoife McGee is a registered Architect and member of the RIBA, RIAI and an elected member of the RSUA Council. Since completing undergraduate studies in Queens University Belfast followed by Masters of Architecture in the University of Bath in 2009, Aoife returned to Belfast to work within architectural and urban research. She worked for four years with FAB (Forum for Alternative Belfast), a not-for-profit urban think-tank that campaigned for a better and more equitable built environment. During this time Aoife collaborated with PLACE (the Built Environment Centre for Northern Ireland) on several architectural and urban design studies, community engagement projects, exhibitions and publications.
Since 2009, Aoife has worked in architecture & built environment education in both Queens University Belfast and the Belfast School of Architecture + The Built Environment. This included teaching History and Theory of Architecture, Building Technology and Environmental Strategy, Urban Theory and Spatial Literacy as well as acting as University Tutor across all year groups of BSc Architecture, BA Architecture and MArch design courses.
Aoife is interested in an architecture which brings value to a community through socially conscious, contextual and climate resilient design. She believes we must use our skills as architects to contribute to a more inclusive and connected society. Aoife is an advocate for the accessibility of architectural design, supporting collaborative practise and promoting connections within and beyond the architectural profession. She established the Women in Architecture NI Guest Hosting Initiative on Instagram which supports architects at all career levels and methods of practice, to express the breadth of skills and talents the profession nurtures.
Aoife is a practicing architect and has worked with several award winning practices and gained diverse experience from small scale architectural interventions to large scale town planning within the public and private sectors. She currently leads the Belfast Office for vanDijk Architects where she is mostly involved in the design and construction of housing, schools, offices and larger scale masterplanning.
Karen Davison +
Dr Karen Davison (BSc, MSc, PhD) is a Lecturer in Building Technology and Materials, and PhD Postgraduate Tutor at the Belfast School of Architecture and the Built Environment. She is a member of the Built Environment Research Institute (BERI) at Ulster University. Her research interests explore the influence of architectural space and environment on youth identity, behaviour and health and wellbeing. Karen is intrigued with how architecture, space, heritage and conservation can play a role in further developing and connecting young people to the built environment. Karen has been awarded research grants from the AHRC and RIBA and has produced a number of exhibitions and research publications, alongside being a proactive PhD research supervisor. She is committed to enhancing her research profile through interdisciplinary collaborations with world-leading and international centres of excellence.
Stephen Gallagher +
Stephen is a highly experienced architect in private practice and is a chartered member of the RIBA and RSUA.
He studied architecture at Cardiff University and has a master’s degree in Computer Aided Building Design from Strathclyde University, during which he specialised in exploring the philosophical basis of systemised design methodologies and the application of artificial intelligence within architecture.
He has practised architecture on projects throughout the UK with experience primarily in both London and Belfast on projects throughout the UK. He has led teams for the delivery of significant and complex urban regeneration projects in Belfast including Victoria Square and the new Ulster University campus.
As a practising architect, he has undertaken self-directed research into a number of diverse topics including the creative imperative of construction detailing, and the representation of the human experience of the city within literature.
Stephen has maintained an interest in teaching throughout his career and has taught in both the Belfast School of Architecture and Queen’s University. He was formerly the NI judge for the RIAI Travelling Scholarship and has been a local representative for the RIBA design awards. He has won several design awards for his private work, both theoretical and built, alongside multiple awards for his built work in large scale practice. He has made several contributions to the local architectural press in the form of building reviews and technical articles.
He is currently a part-time tutor in the Atlas superstudio which undertakes a broad study of the creative basis for building design with a particular focus on environmentally responsible architecture.
Paul Clarke +
Paul Clarke is Professor of Architectural Design at the Belfast School of Architecture + The Built Environment. He is subject, academic and studio lead. He is a member of the BSABE Research Institute where he is supervising a number of PhDs. His research explores the relationship of architecture and film, the reciprocity between digital and analogue drawing, drawing as device and hand-drawing and notebooks in contemporary critical practice. He leads the research group Drawing: Methodology, Making and Media.
He is a chartered architect and member of the RIBA, MRIAI, RIAS and RSUA. He was born and trained in Glasgow and has collaborated with artists, composers, designers, and filmmakers on a range of exhibitions and events. His work has been published and exhibited Internationally. He has taught previously at The Mackintosh School of Architecture at the Glasgow School of Art, The University of Edinburgh and the Architectural Association in London. He is currently an External Examiner at a number of Schools in the UK and Ireland and is a Lead Examiner for the Architects Registration Board.
For Phaidon he collaborated on a number of publications in their Architecture and Detail series on the Glasgow School of Art and The Hill House. He was part of an advisory expert panel working within the architect’s design team on the restoration of the Glasgow School of Art. He has drawings in the collections of The Centre for Scottish Design- The Lighthouse, and the Royal Scottish Academy and the Glasgow School of Art. He was the curator of a touring exhibition and research project called The Secret Laboratory on Architects’ sketchbooks and directed and produced the film Drawing on Life, which has been shown at a series of International film festivals in America, Canada and Europe. His recent book Notations edited and produced with Peter Maybury is a folio collection of drawings by such internationally recognized architects and artist as Grafton Architects, O’Donnell + Tuomey, Tom DePaor and Nigel Peake. With Peter McNie he runs the WaterLands SuperStudio.
http://drawingonlife.com
http://www.secretlaboratory.co.uk
http://notationspublication.tumblr.com
https://www.petermaybury.com/notations-
Dr David Coyles +
Dr. David Coyles is a Senior Lecturer in Architecture at Ulster University, where he leads the Hidden Barriers superstudio and Hidden Barriers research-cluster, and teaches architectural design and architectural theory.
Since 2012, David has directed the Cartographies of Conflict research programme, overseeing two successive Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded projects as Principal Investigator. These multidisciplinary investigations bring together architecture, photography, urban planning, conflict studies, social policy and history, to examine the ways in which conflict shapes urban space and community development. David’s recent research publications include articles in The Journal of Architecture, Environment and Planning D: Society and Space and City, with contributions to Heritage after Conflict (Routledge) and Housing Plans for the Future (Steidl).
David is an elected councillor of the Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA) where he currently chairs the PLACE committee.
Heather Shanks-Miller +
Having studied at UU, Heather has been a technician for 26 years in many areas of design. With a keen enthusiasm for current technologies a strong desire to ‘push the boundaries’ in designing and model making.
Dr Niall O’Hare +
Embodied experience is the central tenet of research which currently occupies Dr O'Hare. The implicit biological heritage through which homo sapiens derive and shape understanding of architectural spatiality, has been the focus of research attention since the completion of his PhD in 2016.
As a registered architect, with over 30 years’ experience in both private practice and as a consultant for multiple international art projects, Niall brings a wealth of diverse critical perspectives to the School which filters through his teaching.
As Studio-Lead, and Fellow of the Higher Education Authority, Niall has multiple postgraduate teaching qualifications that inform and support the development of his innovative approaches to pedagogy, that are grounded in his academic experience of how students learn.
The Belfast School of Architecture Super Studio system is a world leader in the development of radical innovation in architectural Pedagogy. Within this forum, Dr O'Hare's teaching practice, research interests and philosophy of equality, diversity and inclusivity are the key drivers in his teaching.
The creation of a learning environment which develops student attributes, such as confidence and inclusivity, enables our students to meet the pressing needs of climate change as citizen practitioners with skills and perspectives that will carefully and thoughtfully build our shared future.
Lesley Kelly +
Lesley is an award winning chartered architect and member of the RIBA and RIAI.
She graduated with a first class honours degree in Architecture, prior to the completion of her Masters at the Belfast School of Architecture in 2009. Her thesis project won both the Royal Society of Ulster Architects Best in School Award and the Architecture School Design Award. The project was also short-listed for the RIBA President’s Silver Medal.
Lesley’s practice work has taken her between London and Dublin for the last 15 years, and she has led several projects that have achieved awards from both the RIBA and BCO.
Her architectural career commenced at Farrell’s, where the projects she worked on such as the Regents Place development focused on city and place making, engaging with the evolution and everyday use of spaces, and letting the new architecture grow organically thereafter.
Moving to Purcell, Lesley grew to Senior Architect level and worked on significant museum, gallery and mixed use re-development projects such as The British Museum, Cardigan Castle, Bristol Aero Space Museum and various National Trust Properties.
At MoreySmith in London, Lesley quickly progressed to Director level, designing and delivering some of the world’s most innovative workspaces including international headquarters for globally recognised brands such as LVMH and Sony Music.
Joining Unispace as the Studio Lead for Ireland has enabled her to shape the studio into a design centre of excellence. Her current role extends throughout the EMEA regions, overseeing some of Unispace most prestigious projects, ensuring quality and consistency.
As well as practice work, Lesley has joined Dr Niall O’Hare as a visiting lecturer within Studio ATLAS.
David Capener +
An architect, writer, and educator. In collaboration with the multidisciplinary design group ANNEX he recently co-curated and designed Entanglement, the Irish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2021. His practice critically examines the spaces produced by our contemporary technological condition. He is co-editor of the book States of Entanglement published by Actar (2021) and has written for The Irish Times, The Guardian, The Sunday Times, and numerous other print and online publications. He is currently completing his PhD at Technological University Dublin.
Petrina Tierney +
Petrina is registered member of the Royal Institute Of The Architects of Ireland. After graduating from the Masters in Architecture at Queen’s University Belfast in 2011, Petrina moved to London where she gained valuable experience in large scale urban projects including social housing and landscaping schemes, for clients including the Peabody Trust. She later spent time in Munich, Germany where she was involved in a mixed use masterplan competition in the Borough of Neuperlach with Palais Mai Architekten. In 2015 she moved to Dublin where she spent 5 years working for Pritzker Prize winning Grafton Architects
Rachel Bevan +
Grew-up in rural England, studied Architecture in Edinburgh & Glasgow. In 1991 settled in Northern Ireland & set-up her architectural practice “Rachel Bevan Architects” which has won awards from RIAI & RSUA. Work includes one-off houses, a yacht club, small accessible hotel, master-plan for a Sustainable Village, conversions & renovations to listed buildings, & several of these projects have been published.
Lives & works in a converted 19th century water-mill in rural County Down where more recently built a Hempcrete dwelling in the garden. This consolidated extensive research into this low-impact bio-composite material. Co-author of books on a sustainable approach to construction.
After a life-long interest in mentoring Architecture students through the practice, now work part-time at UU Belfast School of Architecture, teaching a grounded approach to design.
Rory Caithness +
Rory completed his MArch at the Belfast School of Architecture at Ulster University in 2012, following completion of a degree in Town Planning and Urban Design at the University of Sheffield and the BA (Hons) Architecture course at Ulster. This diverse background has given Rory a balanced platform to approach architecture with a well-founded understanding of planning policy and urban issues.
Rory has over 10 years’ experience in private practice. Prior to establishing Caithness Architects in 2018 he worked in several award-winning international practices including Grimshaw in London, Sweet Sparkman in Sarasota, Florida and Hall McKnight in Belfast, gaining diverse project experience ranging from private residences to the redevelopment of Reading Station.
Alongside his work in practice, Rory runs a SuperStudio at The Belfast School of Architecture, this year titled Rural Living | Living City.
Laura Cushnahan +
Laura is a Director at Blackbird Architecture Ltd, which is a design lead architectural practice established in 2016. She studied Art before completing BSc (Hons) in Architectural Technology at Ulster University, then gained BA (Hons) Architecture at Lincoln University. After returning home to Belfast Laura completed the Master of Architecture course at the Belfast School of Architecture in 2011. Laura has taught on Architecture and Architectural Technology courses (part-time) at Ulster University since 2015. She has undertaken post-graduate research with practice (filmmaking) focused on the physical and social experience of women in Belfast’s urban environment. Several of the films produced through this research have been publicly screened including at the Belfast Film Festival.
The energy, continuous investigation and learning that arises working with students in the SuperStudio environment, and through research, have become important symbiotic components which compliment and benefit from her experience in professional practice.
Steven McIlory +
With over 30 years expererience, Steven has become an expert in Professional Model Making. Skilled in understanding how to create three-dimensional representations of a design or concept using various on-site machinery and tools.
Eduardo Rebelo +
Teaching Fellow in Architecture Faculty of Computing, Eng. & Built Env. Belfast School of Architecture & the BE
Eduardo Rebelo in October 2020 has taken the role of Teaching Fellow in the Hidden Barriers superstudio at Ulster University, where, within it, he teaches architectural design and architectural theory. Eduardo has over 17 years of professional architecture experience. Worked for several architectural practices, both in Portugal and in Northern Ireland, and has been teaching construction and architectural subjects since 2011.
In recent years, he has co-author research bids and worked in a funded H2020 research project- BIMcert: a multidisciplinary international research that brought together Sustainability and energy efficiency, Architecture, Construction, BIM, and teaching methodologies, with the goal to improve efficiency in the Architecture, engineering, and Construction. Eduardo helped to develop a supported upskilling programme in BIM towards meeting Energy efficiency targets Eduardo has been also a public speaker in, for example: The National Construction conference, 1st May 2019, in Milton Keyes, UK As well as moderating industry driven debates in international conferences, for example “Competências Digitais para a Construção: Normalização, Capacitação e Internacionalização" on July 2nd of 2019, in Lisbon, Portugal.
Eduardo’s has also recently co-authored a published research paper article: SpringerLink. 2020. Delivering Energy Savings for the Supply Chain Through Building Information Modelling as a Result of the Horizon 2020 Energy BIMcert Project.
Helen Dowie +
With 35 years of experience working within education Helen is responsible for the delivery of various In-house training programmes and supporting the administration and delivery of different courses within the school working with staff and students. She was a training officer for several years with Ford Motor Company and Harland and Wolff before joining Ulster University as an administrator for the Belfast School of Architecture and The Built Environment.
Taina Rikala +
Academic qualifications: PhD Architecture (Cantab); MArch; MSc Architecture (Bartlett); MA History of Consciousness; Bachelor of Arts Art History and Planning and Public Policy
Professional qualification: Expert Advisor Urban Design, Ministerial Advisory Group, DCAL NI (2008-2018) Principal Urban Design Consultant: Lathams; Yourfutures; Alan Baxter & Associates
Educator: architecture and intellectual history; urbanism; fine art photography — Ulster University; DeMontfort Leicester School of Architecture; Bath University Architecture and Civil Engineering; Architectural Association DRL; Birmingham School of Architecture; Cambridge Dept of Architecture
Scholarship: works in 25 publications in 21 library holdings UCLA, Los Angeles Oral History Program J. Paul Getty Center for the History of Arts and Humanities Yale University Art History Oral Documentation Project Archives of American Art, The Smithsonian Institute, San Marino, CA Los Angeles County Museum of Art
Subject-related responsibility: PhD students; urban design; architecture history; history of consciousness
Current research pursuit: ‘Wilderness and Figurative Imagination’ collaboration with Frederic Huska.
