Mark is a Senior Lecturer at Manchester School of Architecture with a background in participatory design-research approaches. His research focuses on the intersections between architecture and urban ageing within the home, community and city, with a specific interest in housing inequality and spatial justice. His doctoral research explored the architect’s role in the creation of older people’s cohousing through design-led research methodologies. He has recently completed a two year secondment at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, where he worked with the GM Ageing Hub to develop research-engaged policy and strategy around urban ageing.
Mark is currently principal investigation on 'Co-creating Age-Friendly Social Housing', a three year design-research programme investigating the how older people and social housing providers can collaborate to develop innovative housing and community models.
Other recent research projects include:
'Manchester Age-Friendly Neighbourhood', a four year programme that engaged over 4000 people in the creation and delivery of community action plans across Manchester, which led to £300,000 of investment in programmes to support older people in four neighbourhoods in Manchester (w/ Southway Housing Trust).
'Righsizing' project, funded by Centre for Ageing Better, which uses large scale data, spatial analysis and workshops to support policy-makers to better plan for the diverse needs of older people within neighbourhoods.
'Age-Friendly Northern Gateway/Victoria North', a study of older people's experiences of 20 years of failed urban regeneration in Collyhurst, Manchester, and their hopes and concerns about future plans for their neighbourhood (w/ University of Manchester and Newcastle University)
'A Design for Life', a free ebook developed as part of his secondment to GMCA which challenges urban design professions to find new ways to better address the increasingly diverse needs and aspirations of older people (w/ Pozzoni Architecture)
Mark is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, unit lead for Studio 1, 2 and 3 on the Masters of Architecture course, and teaches as part of the &rchitecture atelier.