Mr Richard Harpin

I want my student to appreciate both structural art and the facilitation of great architecture.

Richard Harpin teaches structural design; the link between fundamental theory and applying practical design to structures.

He aims to formalise design concepts by applying theory and using a numerical approach to see if things will work in practice. His structural appraisal teaching enables students to develop and refine an intuitive understanding of how structures work.

By combining hand calculations and numerical modelling, he ensures students can use basic maths to develop a fundamental understanding, and then apply that understanding to the use of software.

Richard teaches engineering and architecture students how to engineer architectural designs, and architecture students the basics of structural design.

He aims to produce engineers who will help create a better built environment with better use of resources, who will consider sustainability, economics, have an appreciation of aesthetics, and a knowledge of how engineering will relate to that.

Richard joined the Department in 2014 from Nottingham Trent University where he spent three years as a Lecturer in Structural Engineering and Architecture.

Prior to this he worked at Arup as a structural engineer for 17 years. For the last six years he was based in the Sheffield branch where he specialised in the design and delivery of projects in the education and community sector.

Before this he was based in the London branch working on projects in the arts and the commercial sector. He has also spent time working overseas as a resident engineer on a village school in Tanzania and a mass transit system in Bangkok.