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Staff Profile

Dr Neil Burford

Reader in Architecture

  • Telephone: 0191 208 2415
  • Address: School of Architecture Planning and Landscape, 2nd Floor,
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE1 7RU
Background
Neil Burford is a Reader in Architecture in the Department of Architecture, Planning and Landscape (SAPL) at Newcastle University. I am a professionally accredited architect with over 20 years of experience in education having developed my career at the University of Dundee and prior to this in professional practice. I joined SAPL in 2017, and have since taken up the roles of Director of Technology, Co-Director (with Katie Lloyd Thomas ) of the Architecture Research Collaborative (ARC) https://research.ncl.ac.uk/arc/ and Stage 2 studio leader (with Christos Kakalis). My work has involved combining creative practice with research into lightweight structures and sustainable housing. 



Research

During the early part of my career I led a research group in Lightweight Structures with contribution from architects, engineers and material scientists. The Unit’s work involved the design and fabrication of a number of novel, award winning mobile and temporary building prototypes, development of self-assembly building systems and snap-fit connections using advanced composite materials. My current research is in nearly zero energy buildings and in the development of alternative adaptable/flexible housing typologies for autarkic communities. I recently conducted a study for ClimateXChange and Scottish Government (with Onyango, Moyo and Wright) assessing the impact of GHG emission reduction policy in new buildings in Scotland. While at the University of Dundee, I initiated (with Rodley, Reynolds and Jones) an interdisciplinary project with industry to design and build the UK’s first Zero-Emission Building Laboratory at the University Botanic Gardens, Dundee. This was conceived to test practical solutions for energy balancing concepts in a prototype building using LZCGT’s, energy storage and intelligent building controls. A new area of work (with Christos Kakalis and Ivan Marquez Munoz): Conquering Dragons: New Structural Chronologies of Sustainable Alpine Huts is investigating new approaches to off-grid, remote mountain huts in the Western and Central Alps and perceptions of comfort.  Further information on this project can be found on our Instagram account at #alpine_hut_project and at https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=neAPaxMYLX0. 

 
Teaching
I have experience in teaching across all years of the undergraduate and postgraduate courses in architecture. My research and practice have been supported by postgraduate teaching and PhD studies. I ran MacroMicro©, a research-led MArch Live Projects Unit between 2007 to 2017 (with Thurrot until 2012 and then Robertson 2012-2017), which undertook community-based design projects and live build for communities on the Isle of Eigg, Knoydart Peninsula and the National Trust for Scotland. The MSc in Design and Construction of Zero-Carbon and Ultra-Low Energy Buildings was established in 2012 which received 4 years of Scottish Government funding to upskill and upscale industry and the professions in ultra low energy building design. I received the Royal Institute of Architects In Scotland, ‘Scottish Design Tutor Award’ for teaching excellence in 2013-2015.
Publications

  • Artefact

  • Articles

  • Book Chapters

    • Burford NK, Kakalis C, Marquez Munoz I. CONQUERING DRAGONS: Structural Chronologies of Alpine Architecture. In: Martin Beattie, Christos Kakalis and Matthew Ozga-Lawn, ed. Mountains and Megastructures: Neo-geologic landscapes of human endeavour. 2019. In Preparation.
    • Burford NK, Gengnagel C. A Very Rapidly Deployable Canopy System. In: Kronenburg, R. & Klassen, F, ed. Transportable environments 3: theory, context, design and technology. 2006, pp.p. 158-171.
    • Burford NK, Smith FW. Bend It, Shape It: Creating an Arched Structure from a Linear Pultruded Section. In: Composites and Plastics in Construction. Rapra Technology Ltd, 1999.
    • Burford NK, Fish DCE, Smith FW. Lightweight Military Shelter. In: R. Kronenburg, ed. Transportable Environments – Theory, Context and Design. E&FN Spon, 1998, pp.pp156-164.

  • Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

    • Mahmoud R, Kamara JM, Burford NK. An Analytical Review of Tools and Methods for Energy Performance Simulation in Building Design. In: 36th CIB W78 2019: CIB Information Technology for Construction Conference. 2019, Newcastle upon Tyne: Northumbria University.
    • Burford NK, Robertson C, Rodley D. HYBRID ADAPTABILITY: Zero-Emission Lifetime Homes in the Remote Rural. In: PLEA 2018. 2018, Hong Kong: PLEA.
    • Burford NK, Robertson C. Earth, Density and Form: The Role of New Housing Models in Building Sustainable Rural Communities. In: PLEA 2018. 2018, Hong Kong: PLEA.
    • Burford NK, Reynolds S, Rodley D, Jones R, Ahmed K. Prototype low-energy studio in Dundee Botanic Gardens. In: Scottish Renewables Solar Conference and Exhibition. 2016, Edinburgh.
    • Reynolds S, Rodley D, Burford N. Prototype Energy Autonomous Studio in Dundee, Scotland. In: 6th International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Protection. 2013, Mirabor Slovenia.
    • Burford NK, Pearson AD, Smith FW. Defining the Energy Efficiency Design Envelope for Regional Scottish Passivhaus Dwellings. In: 16th International Passivhaus Conference, Hanover, Germany. 2012.
    • Burford NK, Thurrott J, Pearson AD. Between Town and Country: New Concepts in Sustainable Rural Development . In: Second International Conference on Sustainable Architecture and Urban Development, SAUD 2010. 2010, Aman, Jordan.
    • Burford NK, Smith FW, Gengnagel C. The Evolution of Arches as Lightweight Structures: A History of Empiricism and Science. In: Third International Congress on Construction History. 2009, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus.
    • Burford NK, Gengnagel C. Transformable Structures for Mobile Shelters. In: Adaptables 2006: International conference on the design and engineering of adaptable buildings structures. 2006, Delft.
    • Burford NK, Gengnagel C. Mobile Shelter Systems: two case studies in innovation. In: Shell and spatial structures from models to realization. 2004, University Montpellier II, Languedoc Roussillon France: IASS Symposium.
    • Burford NK, Gengnagel C. A very Rapidly Deployed Canopy System. In: 3rd International Conference on Portable Architecture and design. 2004, Toronto.
    • Burford NK, Gengnagel C. A Morphology of Mobile Shelter Systems. In: Shell and spatial structures from models to realization. 2004, University Montpellier II, Languedoc Roussillon, Montpellier, France: International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures.
    • Baglin P, Wilkinson K, Burford NK, Smith FW. ARIES – A Demountable Canopy. In: Space Structures 5. 2002, London: Thomas Telford.
    • Burford NK, Fish DCE, Smith FW. Lightweight Military Shelter. In: Portable Architecture. 1997, Royal Institute of British Architects: RIBA.

  • Designs

    • Burford NK, Reynolds S, Rodley D, Jones MR. REF2021_Creative Practice Folio_Burford. 2020. Self Sufficiency and the Living Laboratory: The design and technical development of an experimental autarkic demonstration building. In Preparation.

  • Report