Victor L Regnier Distinguished Visiting Chair in Architecture: Kansas State University, USA

Mahlum Endowed Lecturer: University of Washington, USA

Chair of Contemporary Architectural Practice: University of Liverpool

External Examiner RIBA Accreditation: XJTLU Suzhuo, Jiangsu China

External Academic Specialist: University of Dundee University of Wuhan. China

Visiting Professor: MArch Scott Sutherland School of Architecture Robert Gordon University

Visiting Professor: MArch University of Liverpool

My philosophy is framed by my experience in practice. I ask a lot from my students and in return I offer challenge, support and ambition, Masters of Architecture units require discipline and structure to develop each student.

My pedagogical approach is to set highly ambitious project briefs, which address contemporary issues in architecture and provoke new ways of thinking and design.

For the first semester students work collectively, as in an atelier, and every student should sup- port one and other. As a unit they should debate strategy and finesse ideas about master planning in a programme which they will continue into the second semester. This aim is to allow each student to develop an individual response to the project brief.

I act as catalyst to allow students to engage in different ways of thinking by inviting internationally respected architects, artists and clients to take part in reviews. I encourage students to draw by hand and gain confidence in their drafting and presentational skills.

Schools of architecture seem to often divide into those that are strong in ideas but lack real knowledge of how to build and those that are technically strong but weak, conceptually. The ambition of my teaching is to bridge that divide and equip students to move confidently into the most exciting profession in the world.