I am a registered architect and Senior Lecturer in Architecture at the Manchester School of Architecture, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK.

My AHRC funded research primarily focuses on the intersections between the conservation of built heritage and critical heritage theory, and I have published widely across academic, policy and practice on this topic. My research has attracted invited talks to established architectural practices, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and the RIBA Advanced Conservation Course where I regularly deliver a module on intangible heritage and its relationship to historic buildings.

Since 2023 I have been a UKRI Research Associate for Historic England, where I assist the organisation on the theme of intangible heritage and its relationship to place-shaping. I am the author of Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation: Evolving Perspectives (Routledge, 2024) and Intangible Heritage Design: A Practical Guide (RIBA Publishing, Forthcoming).

Alongside my research activities, I co-Lead the Built Heritage research group at Manchester Met, and I am the BA3 Studio Lead for the Continuity Atelier. Rooted in Contextualism, the atelier teaches an approach to architecture that focuses on understanding the unique tangible and intangible qualities of places - establishing architecture that has the potential to be heritage for the future. We see architecture as a craft and teach tactile design methods that support notions of making, doing, and mending.

Before joining the Manchester School of Architecture, I worked for nearly ten years in architectural practice on both new build and conservation/reuse projects (Grade II and II*). The majority of my experience in practice involved the preparation of planning, tender and construction documentation for listed buildings, including on-site coordination/delivery (RIBA Stages 3-6).

Academic and professional qualifications

• 2025  MA Higher Education (distinction), Manchester Met
• 2021  PhD in Architecture, MSA
• 2020  PGCert, Learning & Teaching in HE, MMU
• 2018  MSc (distinction), Building Conservation & Adaptation, UCLan
• 2011  Advanced Diploma in Professional Practice, RIBA NW
• 2010  B.Arch Bachelor of Architecture (distinction), MSA
• 2009  MA, Architecture & Urbanism (distinction), MSA
• 2007  BA(hons) Architecture, MSA

Previous employment

• 2021  Associate Lecturer, Manchester School of Architecture
• 2019  Practice Links Mentor, Welsh School of Architecture
• 2018  Senior Architect, Sheppard Robson
• 2014  Architect, Sixtwo Architects
• 2013  Architect, SimpsonHaugh
• 2011  Part II Architectural Assistant, SimpsonHaugh
• 2008  Part I Architect Assistant, Owen Ellis Architects

Membership of professional associations

• 2023  Fellow, Institute of Place Management
• 2020  Member, Association of Critical Heritage Studies
• 2020  Fellow, Higher Education Academy
• 2018  Accredited Member, Institute of Historic Building Conservation
• 2016  Conservation Registrant (CR), RIBA [elapsed]
• 2014  Chartered Architect, RIBA [elapsed]
• 2011  Registered Architect, ARB

Teaching

I currently welcome any prospective PhD students for potential supervision.

Research

Grants

2025  RIBA Research Fund £7,300
‘Designing with the intangible: tools for contemporary architectural heritage practice’

2024  Manchester Met ‘Sustainable Cities’ Seed Fund £3,500
‘Heritage Pathways: Mapping Youth Belonging in Castlefield’

2022  AHRC Innovation Scholars Secondment Grant £45,173
‘Intangible heritage and design in historic contexts’

2018  AHRC North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership £44,331
‘The impact of intangible heritage on architectural and building conservation practices’

Exhibitions

Djabarouti, J., 2025. Heritage Pathways: Mapping Youth Belonging in Castlefield, Castlefield Viaduct, 3/6/2025 - 10/6/2025.

Djabarouti, J., 2010. Sound-Map City, Xuzhou Art Museum, Jiangsu, China, 14/5/2010 - 14/7/2010.

Artefacts

Djabarouti, J., 2019. 'Material Clues: decoding our past to understand our present', Manchester Metropolitan University, Grosvenor Gallery, Manchester.

Books

Djabarouti, J., 2025. 'Intangible Heritage Design: A Practical Guide', RIBA Publishing.

Djabarouti, J., 2023. 'Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation', Routledge.

Book Chapters

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'A socio-material outlook'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 190-222, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'An imitation game: Restoration and intangible heritage at the Bletchley Park Huts, UK'. In Routledge Companion to the Philosophy of Architectural Reconstruction, pp. 374-390.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Antiquity and anxiety'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 25-46, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Conclusion'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 223-230, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Deconstructing communal value'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 125-139, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Evolving perspectives on authenticity'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 62-78, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Immaterial manifestations of culture'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 81-103, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Immateriality and change in policy and guidance'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 104-124, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Introduction'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 1-21, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Participatory problems'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 174-189, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Symbolism and spirituality'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 140-154, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'The postmodern heritage turn'. In Critical Built Heritage Practice and Conservation, pp. 47-61, Routledge.

Djabarouti, J., 2022. 'Negotiating the spirit of place: towards a performative authenticity of historic buildings'. In Hermanová, M., Skey, M., Thurnell-Read, T. (eds.) Cultures of Authenticity, pp. 29-42, Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley.

Journal Articles

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Editorial for the Special Issue "The Future of Built Heritage Conservation"', Architecture, 4 (4), pp. 1098-1100.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Intangible Cultural Heritage and UK Built Heritage Practice: Opportunities and Future Directions', The Historic Environment: Policy and Practice, 15 (4), pp. 450-465.

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Walk slowly, listen carefully, tread softly: enhancing participation in architectural conservation practice', International Journal of Heritage Studies, 30 (3), pp. 349-364.

Ren, Y., Djabarouti, J., 2023. 'Towards a holistic narration of place: conserving natural and built heritage at the Humble Administrator's Garden, China', Architecture, 3 (3), pp. 446-460.

Djabarouti, J., 2022. 'Translating Change: A Continuity of Craft Heritage at Coventry Cathedral, UK', Journal of Heritage Management, 7 (2), pp. 167-185.

Djabarouti, J., 2021. 'Imitation and intangibility: postmodern perspectives on restoration and authenticity at the Hill House Box, Scotland', International Journal of Heritage Studies, 28 (1), pp. 109-126.

Djabarouti, J., 2021. 'Practice barriers towards intangible heritage within the UK built heritage sector', International Journal of Heritage Studies, 27 (11), pp. 1101-1116.

Djabarouti, J., 2021. 'Stories of feelings and things: intangible heritage from within the built heritage paradigm in the UK', International Journal of Heritage Studies, 27 (4), pp. 391-406.

Djabarouti, J., O'Flaherty, C., 2020. 'Architect and craftsperson: project perceptions, relationships and craft', Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, 14 (3), pp. 423-438.

Djabarouti, J., 2020. 'Listed Buildings as Socio-material Hybrids: Assessing Tangible and Intangible Heritage Using Social Network Analysis', Journal of Heritage Management, 5 (2), pp. 169-190.

Djabarouti, J., O'Flaherty, C., 2019. 'Experiential learning with building craft in the architectural design studio: A pilot study exploring its implications for built heritage in the UK', Thinking Skills and Creativity, 32, pp. 102-113.

Non-Peer Reviewed Articles

Djabarouti, J., 2023. 'From materials to meanings: an evolution of architectural conservation practice', ICOMOS-UK Summer Bulletin, Summer 2023 Bulletin.

Conference Papers

Djabarouti, J., 2024. 'Building conservation as memory-making practice', The Place of Memory and the Memory of Place International Conference, London Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, London, 19/6/2021 - 20/6/2021.

Djabarouti, J., 2020. ''The lively development of tradition': Edgar Wood, restoration and intangible heritage', Coimbra, Portugal, 8/7/2020 - 10/7/2020, in Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Heritage and Sustainable Development (HERITAGE 2020), 01.

Djabarouti, J., 2020. 'Between feelings and things: intangible heritage from within the built heritage paradigm', Association of Critical heritage Studies 5th Biennial Conference: ACHS FUTURES 2020, University College London, UK, 26/8/2020 - 30/8/2020.

Djabarouti, J., 2020. 'Dynamic interpretations of preservation: the case (encasement) of the Hill House', Cultures of Authenticity 2020, Centre for Research in Communications and Culture, Loughborough, 5/11/2020 - 5/11/2020.

Djabarouti, J., 2019. 'Understanding the Intangible Heritage of Buildings', AHRC NWCDTP Annual Conference 2019: Meeting of Minds: Collaborative Research in the Arts and Humanities, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK, 28/10/2019 - 29/10/2019.

Presentations

Djabarouti, J., 2021. ''Intangible heritage and its relationship to historic buildings'. A presentation to candidates at the biannual RIBA Advanced Conservation Course, UK.'.

Djabarouti, J., 2021. ''The impact of "intangible heritage" on built heritage practice'. A presentation to the Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC) North West Branch'.

Djabarouti, J., 2021. ''The impact of intangible heritage on architectural and building conservation practices in the UK: a socio-material outlook'. Presented at the 'Researching Heritage Symposium', Manchester Metropolitan University.'.

Djabarouti, J., 2021. 'The impact of intangible heritage on architectural and building conservation practices in the UK: a socio-material outlook'.

Theses and Dissertations

Djabarouti, J., 2025. 'Beyond metrics: a holistic framework for enhancing employability and graduate outcomes in the UK'.

Djabarouti, J., 2021. 'The impact of intangible heritage on architectural and building conservation practices in the UK: a socio-material outlook', Canniffe, E., Stone, S., Robertson, J..

Djabarouti, J., 2018. 'Conservation Education: Examining the impact of a pedagogic interface between the practical and theoretical aspects of building conservation'.