Mark Parsons
BA (Hons), Dip.Arch, ARB, FHEA
School of Architecture and Landscape
University Teaching Practitioner in Architecture
Full contact details
School of Architecture and Landscape
Arts Tower
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
- Profile
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Since qualifying from the University of Sheffield I worked in a number of London practices before returning to Sheffield in 2005.
I am one of the founders and directors of Studio Polpo, the UK's first architectural practice to be set up as a social enterprise in 2008, producing research, initiating projects and working with the third sector. I was also instrumental in setting up Sheffield Community Land Trust and act as secretary and board member, working to develop genuinely affordable housing and community-led development in the city.
I have worked for, and with, Architype for a number of years, an award-winning practice with a strong reputation for sustainable architecture and particular expertise in the design of educational environments. Projects with them have included a Passivhaus school near Leeds, a Passivhaus church building in Sheffield, and a Sheffield co-housing development in partnership with Studio Polpo.
- Teaching interests
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My teaching is strongly informed by my practice work, and the dialogue and engagement with students and teaching also informs my practice. I am interested in how student work and research can be disseminated to the public, in student engagement with building, and full scale projects and am also a member of the Architects Climate Action Network, and keen to ensure how we can address the climate emergency as practitioners and educators.
In M.Arch I previously ran Studio Waste which explored issues of waste, circular economy and retrofit in construction, and now run Studio Future Folktales which explores the idea of ‘folk’ as a place-based, culture-led and DIY approach to architecture in the anthropocene. I have written about some of the issues explored here. The studio has an emphasis on collaborating with a range of engineers, artists and academics, and previous students have been recipients of the RIBA Silver Medal, Architectural Review Future Projects Student Award and 3DReid Student Prize.
I am interested in making connections both within the university and with external partners, and am currently involved in developing connections and research bids between architecture and engineering, around construction waste, and craft in a digital age.
- Teaching activities
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I enjoy working across all parts of the School of Architecture (where I have been a design tutor since 2005), and have taught in the first and second years of the Undergraduate course; the Masters in Sustainable Architectural Studies (SAS) and Masters in Urban Design (MAUD) courses; and the M.Arch, where I have mentored M.Arch Live Projects and run studios. I have also tutored MA Architectural Design (MAAD) Thesis projects, as well supervising undergraduate special studies and M.Arch dissertations.
I have supervised two SURE research projects, one around how the school might develop full-scale build programmes, and one on the development of student resources around embodied carbon and material reuse in demolition.
Through Studio Polpo and Sheffield Community Land Trust we have taken on paid internships from university programmes (from various departments) for many years, providing mentorship and experience working on current projects.
- Professional activities and memberships
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Studio Polpo, Co-founder and Director.
Sheffield Community Land Trust, Company Secretary.
Steering group member for Sheffield City Council’s Community Asset Transfer process.
Peer reviewer for Charette, the journal of the Association of Architectural Educators.
Member of Design Yorkshire's Design Review Panel.
AECB (Association for Environment Conscious Building).
ASBP (Alliance for Sustainable Building Products).
Engineers Re-Use Collective.
National Demolition Training Group – registered CCDO Demolition Labourer.