Michael Spooner

Michael is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Architecture, Technology and Engineering. He balances practice with teaching to contribute to cross-fertilisation of theory and realisation of high quality design in the built environment, supporting students across stages of learning in the architetcure and interior architecture disciplines.

Michael is a passionate and engaging teacher, responding to shifting priorities and challenges in the FE sector, and the immediate and urgent discourse in the architecture curriculum.  Long-standing and ongoing commitment to environmental and social responsibility, underpinned by a foundation in the sciences, informs teaching practice meaningfully.

As a practitioner, Michael brings a lateral approach to solving design challenges, combined with a holistic, technical and humane understanding of the built environment. Comprehensive design and delivery skills at all work stages, as demonstrated in complex, socially relevant, and often fiscally demanding projects across a range of sectors including housing, schools and mixed-use. Projects recognised with numerous professional and industry awards, including Building Design’s Education Architect of the Year (2013) and RIBA Stirling Prize (2017) for the community-led post-fire redevelopment of Hastings Pier.

First and foremost, I am passionate about the process of design and of developing this skill in myself and in our students. I impress upon students the very significant role and responsibility that comes from working in the field of design and architecture, and especially the impact we can have on communities and the environment – positive as well as negative, if not careful.  Accordingly, I prescribe to learning in all ways and always learning, and endeavour to stay on top of current knowledge best I can by staying engaged with practice. In many aspects, the field is rapidly changing and architects have a tendency to delegate the less glamorous (but important) components of practice to others: I have a natural curiosity and desire to understand these, be it technical or professional. If we do not as educators engender this curiosity and instil confidence and agency, there is a threat of a further diminishing the role of the profession in positively shaping the built environment.