Stephen McCusker RIBA RIAS FHEA is currently Professional Studies Lead across the school and teaches on the the MArch/Part 2 PS3 unit. having previously worked across years within the school.

Appointed part-time as a Senior Lecturer at the Manchester School of Architecture he combines his research interests with his ongoing, external practise as an Architect-Director at Loop - an award-winning, Manchester-based practice - where he delivers value-led and community-centric projects. Loop operated as a co-operative for 12 years until it became part of the Plcae Capital Group in 2021 where it continues to contribute to works of social value across the UK.

Stephen's work and research largely focuses on co-operation, the co-operative movement and the re-appropriation of existing buildings for the social purposes or communti-led economies.

He has been a board member of the national regulator for architects, the Architects Registration Board, since 2019 where he also holds the portfolio for governance. 

As an experienced ARB prescribed examiner, Part 3 examiner, year leader and teacher of Architecture & Design Thinking, Stephen continues to bringing his professional, academic and leadership expertise to the role; building on his knowledge of a broad range of project types ranging from furniture to museums and responsible material selection.

Research

Exhibitions

Heanley, L., 2017. Stretford Arts Collective Summer Exhibition 2017, Stretford Public Hall, Chester Road, M32 0LG, 30/6/2017.

Artefacts

McCusker, S., 2017. 'Stretford Public Hall Phases 3-5', Stretford Public Hall, Manchester, M32 0LG.

Aston, H., McCusker, S., 2017. 'Stretford Streetscapes 2017 Pop-Up Shop and Participative Design Event at Stretford Public Hall', Stretford Public Hall, Stretford, M32 0LG.

McCusker, S., Allen, NC., 2017. 'Unicorn Grocery Retrofit (Refurbishment & Extension)', Albany Road, Manchester, M21 0BN.

Aston, H., McCusker, S., 2016. 'Stretford Streetscapes 2016, Pop-Up Shop and participative design community engagement event at Stretford Mall', Stretford Mall, Manchester.

McCusker, S., Allen, NC., Walters, A., 2013. 'Rochdale Pioneers Museum', 31 Toad Ln, Rochdale OL12 0NU.

Performances

McCusker, S., Aston, H., 2017. 'Participative Design Event at Stretford Public Hall in response to UA92 with 24 students, local residents, key stakeholders from Stretford Public Hall and Year 8 ambassadors from Stretford Grammar School', Stretford Public Hall, Stretford, M32 0LG, 14/10/2017.

Aston, H., McCusker, S., 2017. 'Stretford Streetscapes 2016, Pop-Up Shop community engagement event at Stretford Mall', Stretford Mall, 1/10/2016.

Aston, H., McCusker, S., 2017. 'Stretford Streetscapes 2016. Pop up shop community engagement event at Stretford Mall with MSA Praxis and Loop Systems. Participative Design Event at Stretford Public Hall in response to the Trafford Masterplan for Stretford with 24 BA3 students and eng', Stretford Mall, 1/10/2016.

Aston, H., McCusker, S., 2017. 'Stretford Streetscapes 2017 Participative Design Event at Stretford Public Hall', Stretford Public Hall, Stretford, M32 0LG, 14/10/2017.

Book Chapters

McCusker, S., 2021. 'Community-Owned Pubs in Great Britain'. In Community Owned Businesses International Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Economic Development, Routledge.

McCusker, S., 2021. 'Community-owned pubs in great Britain: Hubs of community enterprise'. In Community Owned Businesses: International Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Economic Development, pp. 58-81.

McCusker, S., 2016. '10. Rising numbers of architectural co-operatives in an uncertain construction economy'. In Mainstreaming Co-Operation An Alternative for the Twenty-First Century?, Manchester University Press.

McCusker, S., 2016. 'The re-emergence of the co-operative model for architects'. In Mainstreaming Co-operation: An Alternative for the Twenty-First Century?, pp. 183-200.

Journal Articles

McCusker, S., 2018. 'Learning through architecture and successful capital projects in the post-capitalist economy of Northern England', Journal of Co-operative Studies, 51 (2), pp. 55-62.

Conference Papers

McCusker, S., 2021. 'Reducing Rural Social Isolation and loneliness: Lessons from Community Pubs in the UK', 32nd Annual Rural Community and Economic Development Conference, Illinois Institue for Rural Affairs, 24/2/2021 - 25/2/2021.

McCusker, S., 2018. 'Successful capital projects in a post-capitalist UK co-operative economy', Skills for Co-operators in the 21st Century - Learning to do, learning to be, Manchester, UK, 1/5/2018 - 2/5/2018.