Angus Macdonald profile picture

Job title:

Professor Emeritus

Biography

Professor Angus Macdonald's research and teaching interests are in architectural structures, cultural landscape and architectural history. He is the author or co-author of 13 books in these fields, including Structure and Architecture (recently re-published [2019] in a greatly expanded third edition and available in 6 languages and as an e-book), High Tech Architecture: a style reconsidered (2019), Steel Architecture: the designed landscape of modernity (2021), and has contributed to numerous publications, conferences and exhibitions internationally. Other publications include The Hebrides: an aerial view of a cultural landscape (2010), with Patricia Macdonald, and the chapter 'Structure and Architecture: tectonics of form' in The Routledge Companion for Architecture Design and Practice (2016).

Angus is a former Head of the School of Arts, Culture and Environment; of the Department of Architecture; and of the Environmental Studies Planning Unit in the University of Edinburgh. He has served as a Commissioner on the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (now part of Historic Environment Scotland) and as a member of the Board of Governors of Edinburgh College of Art. He holds a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Commercial Pilot's Licence with Instrument and Instructor Ratings.

www.angusjmacdonaldstructure.uk

Teaching

Angus is the Course Organiser of the honours course Structure and Architecture. This course is open to all interested students at honours level (see DRPS – ARCHI 10019 for details). It explores an alternative history of the architecture of the Modern period, based on an appraisal of its technological underpinning and includes a critical analysis of some of the most iconic buildings of the Modern period including the works of Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Santiago Calatrava, Rem Koolhaas, Cecil Balmond, Frank Gehry and Zaha Hadid. The course also considers the possible roles of structural engineering in the future development of sustainable forms of architecture.

Angus contributes lectures to the Architectural History 1B, Texts and Theories of Architecture and Architectural History and Heritage Practice lecture courses. He also supervises honours dissertation students.

Research

With Patricia Macdonald, Angus Macdonald is a partner in the consultancy Aerographica, which specialises in environmental research, record and interpretation, principally by means of aerial photography, and in environment-related art projects. See www.aerographica.org and www.eca.ed.ac.uk/eca-home/patricia-macdonald.

Books Published

  • (2021) Steel Architecture: the designed landscape of modernity, Crowood Press, Marlborough, 160 pp (sole author)
  • (2019) High Tech Architecture a style reconsidered, Crowood Press, Marlborough, 180 pp (sole author)
  • (2019) Structure and Architecture, third edition, Routledge, Abingdon, 350 pp (sole author)
  • (2016) Chapter 'Structure and Architecture: tectonics of form' in The Routledge Companion for Architecture Design and Practice, (Ed. Mitra Kanaani), Routledge, New York
  • (2010) The Hebrides: an aerial view of a cultural landscape, Birlinn, Edinburgh, 330 pp, (co-author with Dr Patricia Macdonald) http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Hebrides-Aerial-Cultural-Landscape/dp/184158...
  • (2001) reprinted 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008 [twice], 2009), Structure and Architecture, Second Revised Edition, Architectural Press, Oxford, 151 pp, (sole author). [translations into Korean, Japanese, Indonesian and Arabic and also issued as e-book] http://www.amazon.co.uk/Structure-Architecture-Angus-J-Macdonald/dp/0750647930/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421759532&sr=1-1&keywords=macdonald+structure+and+architecture
  • (2000) Anthony Hunt; The Engineer's Contribution to Contemporary Architecture, ICE/Thomas Telford Publishing, London, 163 pp (sole author of this volume and joint series editor) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anthony-Hunt-Engineers-Contribution-Architecture/dp/0727727699/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421759624&sr=1-1&keywords=macdonald+anthony+hunt
  • (1997) John Fowler, Benjamin Baker: the Forth Bridge, 60 pp, Edition Axel Menges, Stuttgart (co-author with Professor Iain Boyd Whyte)
  • (1997) Structural Design for Architecture, Architectural Press, Oxford, 267 pp (sole author)
  • (1996) Structure and Architecture, Maruzen, Tokyo, 138 pp, (sole author; Japanese translation by Masao Saito, Tomio Watanabe and Akira Okada)
  • (1994 reprinted 1995, 1996, 1997), Structure and Architecture, Butterworth Heinemann, Oxford, 1994, 130 pp, (sole author)
  • (1992) Granite and Green: Above North-East Scotland, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh, 168 pp, (with Dr Patricia Macdonald, artist-photographer)
  • (1991) The Highlands and Islands of Scotland, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 160 pp, (co-author with Dr Patricia Macdonald, artist-photographer)
  • (1989) Above Edinburgh and South-East Scotland, Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh, 168 pp, (with Dr Patricia Macdonald, artist-photographer)
  • (1975) Wind Loading on Buildings, Applied Science Publishers, London, and Halstead Press, New York, 219 pp, (sole author)

 

Books Edited

  • (2001) Brown, A, Peter Rice; The Engineer's Contribution to Contemporary Architecture, ICE/Thomas Telford Publishing, London, 163 pp (with R Pedreschi)
  • (2001) Yeomans, D, and Cottam, D, Owen Williams; The Engineers Contribution to Contemporary Architecture, ICE/Thomas Telford Publishing, London, 163 pp, (with R Pedreschi)
  • (2000) Chilton, J, Heinz Isler; The Engineer's Contribution to Contemporary Architecture, ICE/Thomas Telford Publishing, London, 163 pp (with R Pedreschi)
  • (2000) Pedreschi, R, Eladio Dieste; The Engineer's Contribution to Contemporary Architecture, ICE/Thomas Telford Publishing, London, 163 pp 

 

Selected Exhibitions (in collaboration with Dr Patricia Macdonald, environmental researcher and artist-photographer)

  • (2022) RSA Edinburgh, Annual Exhibition
  • (2020) RSA Edinburgh, Annual Exhibition
  • (2020) Imagining an Island, Taigh Chearsabhagh, North Uist, Western Isles
  • (2018/19) Planes, Trains and Automobiles, national galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh
  • (2018/19) In Focus: Scottish Photography, Edinburgh City Arts Centre
  • (2016/17) The View from Here: Landscape Photography from the National Galleries of Scotland, National Galleries of Scotland
  • (2012) Looking back at Earth: Contemporary Environmental Photography from the Hood Museum of Art's Collection, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College, Dartmouth, New Hampshire, USA
  • (2011 - 14) Bunkered terrain: Scottish golf landscapes, in The Art of Golf, Commissioned by National Galleries of Scotland/High Museum of Art, Atlanta, USA
  • (2009 - 11) Edge: Hebrides and Wood: New Leaf, Commissioned by National Galleries of Scotland / Scottish Government / Highland Council, first shown in Scotland House, Brussels and European Parliament, Brussels, with subsequent tour
  • (2001) Air works, Talbot Rice Gallery at the University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh and BCA Boukamel Gallery, London. [Publication: Air works, Talbot Rice Gallery / BCA Gallery, Edinburgh/London, 2001]
  • (2001) DIN Art 4, Museen für Kommunikation, Frankfurt, Berlin and Hamburg. [Publication: DIN Art4, Museen für Kommunikation, Frankfurt, Berlin & Hamburg, 2001]
  • (2000) Recent aerial works, Roger Billcliffe Gallery, Glasgow
  • (1999) Observations, Museet for Fotokunst, Ødense and Møstings Hus, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • (1996) Views of Gaia III, Taigh Chearsabhagh, North Uist, Western Isles
  • (1996) SITE, Matthew Gallery, University of Edinburgh
  • (1995) Environments, The Scottish Executive, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh
  • (1993) Scotland Observed, Scottish Photography Archive, National Galleries of Scotland, Edinburgh
  • (1993) Improving the View, Landscape Design Trust / Northern Arts, Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, (UK Tour)
  • (1993) The Printed Image: Prints and Photographs from the City’s Collection, Edinburgh City Arts Centre
  • (1993) Art in the Airport: Terminal Two Projects, Manchester International Airport, Manchester
  • (1993) Views of Gaia II, British Council/Ministry of Culture of PR China, Beijing, (China tour)
  • (1992) Dear Green Place – A Question of Equilibrium: UK Exhibit at the 18th Triennale di Milano, Milan
  • (1992) Views of Gaia I: Exhibition organised by the British Council to mark the UK Presidency of the European Council of Ministers, Charlemagne Building, Brussels. [Publication: Views of Gaia: Images from exhibition to mark the UK Presidency of the European Council of Ministers, British Council, London, 1992]

PhD Supervision Topics

Accepting applications
  • Architectural structures
  • Architectiural History
  • Cultural Landscape

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