Dr Maria Yioutani-Iacovides

School of Science, Engineering & Environment

Photo of Dr Maria Yioutani-Iacovides

Contact Details

SEE Building University of Salford, University Rd, Salford M5 4QJ

Current positions

Lecturer

Biography

Maria is a Lecturer in Architecture and Design, Program Director of BSc (Hons) Architectural Engineering, at the University of Salford and Fellow of Higher Education Academy.

Maria is a Conservation professional, with practical experience in the United Kingdom and Cyprus, and many years of engagement with professional heritage organizations and industry. She combines professional experience and academic practice (teaching and research), on Built Heritage and Architectural Engineering.

She is an RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Chartered Architect (UK), ARB (Architects Registration Board) Registered Architect (UK), and Registered Architect in Cyprus (ETEK-Cyprus Technical and Scientific Chamber).

After completing her studies, BSc in Architectural Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens (GR), MA in Historic Building Conservation at the University of York (UK), and her PhD at the University of Liverpool (UK), Maria worked in the UK, for over a decade, as an Architect, Conservation Architect (AABC-Accredited Architect in Building Conservation) and Conservation Officer, prior to moving to academia.

Maria worked on several conservation and restoration projects of Grade I, II*, II Listed Buildings, residential, ecclesiastical, Urban Regeneration projects, architectural competitions, etc.

Maria is a member of a number of professional and heritage organizations and an active member of the IHBC-Institute of Historic Building Conservation North West Branch (since 2010) and RIBA North West Conservation, Heritage, Sustainability Group (since 2021). She has co-organised over 10 conferences and multiple events.

Maria's professional expertise in the heritage sector, have been recognized with invitations to deliver academic lectures, to present in International conferences, to chair sessions and worshops, to review books (RIBA Conservation Guide), and review papers for publications in journals. Maria published her work in articles in journals and contributed in book chapters.

Maria served as a Trustee for a Grade II Listed Greek Church in Manchester, and was invited to engage in policy making (PURCELL, launch of RAAC Guidance, House of Commons, UK) in 2024.

She participated as a research member in a multidisciplinary AHRC research project on Intangible Cultural Heritage (Egypt) in 2021, and several funding proposals (EU, UK), since.

Maria's research interests are in the intersection of Architectural Heritage, Architectural Humanities, Architectural Engineering, Historic Building Conservation, and Urban Regeneration of the Historic Built Environment. Maria's research is integrated in her teaching.

Areas of Research

Historic Building Conservation, Heritage (tangible and intangible), Abandoned Built Heritage buildings and Settlements, Heritage in Conflict & Endangered Heritage, Sustainability-Heritage- Conservation, Abandoned Heritage and Adaptive Reuse. Architectural Heritage and Cultural Identity.
Specific interest in: Vernacular and Earthen Architecture, Post-Byzantine-Medieval-Neoclassical Architecture, High Tech Heritage, AI and Built Heritage, Parametric Architecture Conservation.

Areas of Supervision

Historic Buildings, Tangible and Intangible Heritage, Adaptive reuse & Retrofit, Conservation-Heritage-Sustainability, Earthen & Vernacular Architecture, AI and Heritage, High Tech Heritage

Teaching

Maria has been teaching (since 2021) as the module leader in 4 programs in Architecture and Design (BSc Architecture, BSc Architectural Engineering, BSc Interior Architecture, BSc Architectural Design Technology) in Trimesters 1 to 3.:
L4 Design Studio 1B
L4 Architectural Engineering 1
L5 Architectural Engineering 2
L5 Principles of Sustainable Built Environment
L5 Discipline Project 2
L6 Architectural Engineering 3
L6 Design Studio 2 (Intervention in the Historic Built environment)
L6 Recreating the City-Reuse and Regeneration (Conservation and Adaptive reuse of heritage buildings, Urban Regeneration)
L6 Environmental Architectural Technology (Sustainable design & Retrofit).


Maria has supervised dissertations:
L6 Design Research Project (Architecture & Design)
L7 MSc In Construction Management (Construction Management)
L7 MArch-Master in Architecture
Maria has been an external examiner for PhD thesis.

Maria has collaborated with the university's industrial partners in enhancing students' learning by connecting module assessment tasks with live projects (conservation and restoration of historic buildings, adaptive reuse-retrofit projects).

Maria was awarded the Fellowship in Higher Education Academy (FHEA) in 2023.

Maria as a Program Director of BSc Architectural Engineering, has achieved the program's first accreditation with CABE-Chartered Institute of Building Engineers, in 2023.

Qualifications and Recognitions

Qualifications
  • FHEA-PGCAP

    2022 - 2023
  • PhD in Architecture

    1998 - 2003
  • MA in Historic Building Conservation

    1994 - 1995
  • Degree in Architectural Engineering

    1984 - 1989