- Design Practices
About me
I am a Reader in Regenerative Structures & Materials at the School of Architecture and Cities at the University of Westminster. I write about architecture and technology, and I have co-authored six books with colleague Pete Silver including Structural Engineering for Architects: A Handbook, (Laurence King, 2014), Introduction to Architectural Technology, (Laurence King, 2021, 3rd edition), The Environmental Design Sourcebook, (RIBA Publishing, 2021) and Sustainable & Regenerative Materials for Architecture, (Laurence King, 2025). In 2008 I established the architectural imprint Bibliotheque McLean, publishing titles including Sabbioneta: Cryptic City by James Madge (2011), Quik Build: Adam Kalkin's ABC of Container Architecture (2008) and Building with Air (2014) the first English language book on the work of Italian architect and construction innovator Dante Bini published in 2014.
I was was a co-editor of Construction History: International Journal of the Construction History Society (2016-2021). Between 2005 and 2010 I wrote a column for Architectural Design (AD) entitled McLean's Nuggets, which appeared in over 30 issues of the magazine.
Teaching
I am responsible for leading Technical Studies teaching across both the Undergraduate Degree and MArch courses in architecture, with input into all five years of Part I and Part II RIBA/ARB joint professionally validated courses as well as supervising PhD students. I deliver lectures, seminars, tutorials and workshops, and I have organised a visiting lecture programme which has been successfully running for over 25 years. Architects, engineers, artists and other specialists have been invited to talk as a part of the Technical Studies lecture programme and participate in discussions about the social use and function of technology in the context of design. This regular programme of talks and seminars is an attempt to capture a contemporary philosophy of technology and introduce students and professionals to current and future trends in the technological development of architecture.
Technical Studies Lecture Archive
I am currently an external examiner for the MEng Engineering and Architectural Design programme at the Bartlett (UCL). I have been a visiting critic and lecturer at the Architectural Association School of Architecture, The Bartlett (UCL), The Royal College of Art and the Welsh School of Architecture. I have been an external examiner for the MSt Apprenticeship in Architecture, at The Institute of Continuing Education, University of Cambridge. (2021–23). The Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA), University of Edinburgh (2016–20), Department of Civil Engineering at Glasgow University (2010–12), Chelsea School of Art, UAL (2008–10).
In 2016 I became a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), and in 2019 I joined the RIBA Educational Publishing Advisory Panel.
Research
My doctoral thesis Technological Innovation in Architecture: The Role of the Aberrant Practitioner, analysed the unique contribution of the 'Innovative Entrepreneur' to architecture and construction. Research included the work of Dante Bini (construction automation), artist Graham Stevens (pneumatic / inflatable / environmental art), architects Adam Kalkin (prefabrication / building with shipping containers), Fritz Haller (systems building) and structural engineer Tim Macfarlane (structural glass). Current research outputs include interviews, published articles, papers and books.
My ongoing research continues to focus on the work of Dante Bini, low carbon construction materials and (more recently) the relationship between sound, acoustics and architecture.
Current Book Projects
I have recently been commissioned by publishers Routledge to author, Acoustics for Architects: An Introduction to Noise, Sound and Music.
Ongoing research for a future publication on the work of Scottish architectural practice Gratton and McLean, the architects of the Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow (1960), Castlemilk West Church (1957) and works for the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board, Including Invergarry, Finlarig and Lussa power stations (1952-1962).
Cataloguing the work of artist Bruce McLean in preparation for a monograph of his work.
Publications
For details of all my research outputs, visit my WestminsterResearch profile.