Andrew Harbert

Falmouth Campus Technical & Facilities Manager

Profile photo by Callum Yates,  Press&Ed photography student

Andy trained as an architect, culminating in an MA in Architecture (Design and Theory) in 1995. For the next ten years he worked across Europe on a range of projects, from monster retail and distribution sheds (not selling monsters - just huge), very large-scale advertising, and medium-sized houses and offices to the design of smaller items such as a door handle. All projects had the user and the context as key factors in design - working with people and place. These are also his principles for education: working with people through dialogue and reflection and never taking anything or anyone for granted. The range of personalities found in the world of architecture and construction created an interesting journey and an amazing learning experience, one he is nearly recovered from.

As of 22 September 2005, not that he is counting, he decided to become a full-time academic at Falmouth, accepting the role of course leader for BA(Hons) Spatial Design: Interior and Landscape. He has previously worked as a tutor in Architecture and Interior Design on undergraduate and postgraduate courses, has been course leader for an MA in Interior Design, and taught in Singapore and Hong Kong. Moving to the full-time position of course leader for the Design Centre MA courses at Falmouth in September 2008, he aimed to prove his belief that the potential for design evolution at postgraduate level is firmly rooted in disproving the old cliche that you 'cannot teach an old dog new tricks', especially as he heads towards being placed in the old dog category.

He currently is Technical and Facilities Manager for the four academic departments at Falmouth Campus, and leads the technical team delivering technical skills to students and courses across the university.

He was formally Head of Academic Planning for the University, engaging in strategic projects and developments of new and existing courses, including the FdA with Bodmin College. He provided academic input into the design and development of key student facing systems and processes such as timetabling, personal tutoring, resource management, attendance monitoring, and ensured that the implementation enhanced student experience and organisational efficiency and operation. He worked alongside the director of estates and contributed to the development of the University Estates Strategy, ensuring we bound together the academic portfolio with estates facilities, resources and development plans. He worked alongside the registrar & director of student information to provide an academic lead on the development of a University academic calendar of key institutional events, that ensured appropriate sequencing and delivery of the academic year. Andy contributed to the delivery and development of the BA(Hons) Architecture course, he led the development of in 2014 and the initial processes of prescription and professional accreditation. 

At Falmouth Andy has contributed to delivery of BA(Hons) Architecture and has contributed to delivery across Design courses formerly being Course Leader  for BA(Hons) Spatial Design, MAs in Design, and Programme Leader for the Three Dimensional Design Programme area.

Contact details

Email andrew.harbert@falmouth.ac.uk

    Qualifications

    Qualifications

    Year Qualification Awarding body
    1991 BA(Hons) Architecture Leicester School of Architecture
    1995 MA Architecture Birmingham School of Architecture
    2016 NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety NEBOSH

    Membership of external committees

    Andy was the chair of the Fabric Advisory Committee for Truro Cathedral | Currently Member of Board of Trustees of Bodmin Keep Museum | Advisory panel member for Create CIC, Camborne Community Crafts Hu

    Research Interests

    Research interests and expertise

    Andy's research interests lie in design that responds to the wider social and geographical notion of peripherality and identity, genius loci, and, as an evolution from his own postgraduate studies, design for the heritage and museum sectors. He currently provides technical consultation in the delivery of projects with organisations across Cornwall and the wider UK

    Research centre and group affiliations

    Articulating Space

    Research Topics

    • Architecture
    • Location/Place
    • Heritage and Museums
    • Digital Fabrication

    Research Outputs

    Publications and research outputs

    Externally funded research grants information

    Collaborators Currency Funder HESA Category Project title Value Year ending Year starting
    GBP

    Research Students

    Previous student supervision

    Clare Wardman

    Teaching

    Areas of teaching

    • Architecture
    • design process
    • design theory
    • user centred design
    • technical specification
    • construction
    • site specific design
    • regeneration
    • redevelopment
    • historical context and contemporary design

    Courses taught

    • Andrew has contributed to delivery of BA(Hons) Architecture and has contributed to delivery across Design courses

    Policy engagement within Cornwall

    Engagement with organisations which contribute to the development of educational, cultural or socio-economic policies in Cornwall

    Andy was the Chair of the Fabric Advisory Committee for Truro Cathedral, and was previously on the Board of Cornwall Building Preservation Trust. The latter undertakes projects to protect buildings at risk within Cornwall which will potentially be outside of commercial or private interest. An example is the Grade 1 listed Duchy Palace, Lostwithiel, which was recently restored and regenerated in conjunction with the Prince's Regeneration Trust.

    I supported the team leading the development of Create CIC in Camborne. With a project to develop a public facing Crafts hub in the centre of the town with an outreach programme to community groups, local makers, schools, and the wider community. I sit on the Advisory Panel of the CIC.

    I am a trustee for Bodmin Keep Museum, advising on their plans for physical redevelopment and the relationship between the building and site and the collection.

    Business Engagement

    Business engagement case studies

    Working alongside Rio Nuevo, a local chocolate company based in Penryn, with two members of the Falmouth Campus technical team, John Peters and Olly Hatfield, we are looking at how the there can be a co-design process with farmers in the South American cloudforests to improve the success of fermentation of cacao beans. This has been funded through the Technician Commitment.

    Consultancy and facility services

    Andy supported the  HLF bid for Truro Cathedral's Inspire project, with particular emphasis upon Education and Interpretation.

    He is currently working with National Lobster Hatchery, Padstow, on an ongoing funded research project.

    As Technical and Facilities Manager for Falmouth Campus, he has lead the engagement with artists, arts organisations, museums, and community groups in accessing campus support and facilities.

    Examples include:

    • Support for Flamm, an Arts Council funded exhibition of local artists in Redruth as part of Art night, a national scheme promoting arts practice. 
    • Working with the National Maritime Museum Cornwall with the production of items and support for projects in their collection. For example the production of replica thole pins for a replica Titanic lifeboat.
    • Working with a local artist to scan maquettes to be rescaled and 3d printed as part of fundraising for a larger public scuplture.
    • Provided design and H&S related advice for the transformation of buildings to public funded community functions.

    Professional Engagement

    Independent professional practice

    Now undertaking Engineering and Architectural support within the industrial archaeology and heritage sectors.

    Social, community and cultural engagement

    Andy has worked on several projects which focus upon place and user engagement. One example is the development of a low-cost, flexible, interactive system for Truro Cathedral, with Tim Shear and Sarah Hughes (Education Officer for Truro Cathedral), which linked tactile objects to short narrative films that explained the life of the Cathedral to a wide range of users.

    Engagement with professional associations and societies

    Andy has been an External Examiner and contributes to the validation of degree and postgraduate courses at several UK institutions.
    He has been involved with the development, validation and delivery of courses in China and the Far East.

    I am currently named institutional lead for the Technician Commitment.