ACADEMIC STAFF PROFILE
Dr Robert G MacDonald
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"As a researcher he is developing specialisms in Medical Architecture and has been Elected by the Electoral Reform Society to be NHS Councillor for the Merseycare Trust. In 2012 He is to be considered as a Department of Health Ministerial Advisor for Mental Health." Dr Robert. G. MacDonald BA (Hons), BArch.,(Hons).,Phd., ARB., RIBA.,FRSA is Reader in Architecture at The Liverpool School of Art and Design. He studied architecture at The Liverpool University School of Architecture from 1970 till 1976 when he was awarded Double First Class Honours degrees. He was awarded the Skikorski Polish Architectural Prize for his final thesis which was exhibited alongside the work of the late Sir James Stirling. Currently Robert is the elected Vice - President of The Merseyside Branch of the RIBA and Liverpool Architectural Society and was a board member for the 2008 Independents International Biennial. During his undergraduate years Robert made several overland journeys to West Africa, across the Sahara Desert, following in the footsteps of the Dutch modern humanist Aldo Van Eyck, resulting in a seminal dissertation about “ The Dwelling Patterns of the Tuareg Pastoral Nomads.” Later he practiced in Central Africa and drew his way around Kenya, Egypt and the Greek Islands before starting his doctoral research. Under the direction of sociologist Frank Horton and architectural historian Professor JN Tarn Robert’s Phd was titled “The Appropriation of Space Inside of the English Working Class Home 1913-1979.” He has worked on urban housing, regeneration and urban design projects . Glasgow, Wales, Sheffield, Hull and Liverpool. All this work has an element of “housing-as-verb” and involves user and resident participant in the design process. In 2008 Robert organised three significant International exhibitions and events. The Cityscapes exhibition involved electronic links between Shanghai and Liverpool. Shrinking Cities brought together several European and local urban projects focusing on the subject of City Polarisation. During 2008 Robert organised, with multi lingual translation, an international visit of sixty French developers and architects from Marseille. Robert has a track record of publications in Urban Design Journal, ‘A’ Magazine (see image about Sir James Stirling formative years), Prospect, Parametro International Journal of Urbanism and two books Imagine Liverpool and Morpohocity . Recently, Robert has developed a particular research interest with publications, in trans Atlantic architectural and cultural influences between Liverpool and the USA. Robert enjoys traditional drawing and has a large collection of sketch books and a library of architectural books, many concerning drawing, which form the basis of his research, practice and teaching. He believes and try to follow what Peter Eisenman, Yale Professor of Architectural Design says “If I ask a student to make a diagram or plan that shows the ideas of a building, they cannot do so. This is certain to effect not only their future, but the future of our profession too.” As Reader in Architecture he is an active teacher at all levels and has participated in numerous conferences and creative events related to The European Capital of Culture and The Biennial. DIY City DIY City is a multi-dimensional written and graphic research output. DIY City is the culmination of a two year urban design project in design participation involving Liverpool inner city residents and comprises 16 illustrated essays. DIY City is about alternate ways of urban design. It raises questions about how we live in the inner city and asks the question can thing get better ? DIY City is about designing places for people in the inner city. The inhabitants of the City are presented with an inventory of new ideas and narratives. Click here to view the publication |
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