Mike Darwell
Conservation Architect and Director
Mike is a Director and Architect at John Coward Architects, joining the practice in 2005 and becoming a Director in 2006. He leads the practice team on many of his projects and is closely involved with clients from the initial brief onwards, leading client and design team meetings and, where appointed, remaining involved when work reaches site. During construction, he can act as the link between client and contractor, leading site meetings and administering the building contract.
Mike qualified as an architect in 1998 and has worked with heritage buildings and the historic environment since 2000. Before joining John Coward Architects, he worked in interior design and for a heritage consultancy in Manchester. His experience now centres on ecclesiastical architecture, listed buildings, and historic landscapes, with particular expertise in repairing and adapting historic buildings.
He takes a forensic approach to historic buildings, investigating defects and identifying causes before considering available repair options. He weighs technical performance with what is practical, proportionate, and affordable, recognising that there is rarely a single solution for repairing an older building.
Mike is interested in enabling change as well as conserving historic buildings. He does not see them as museum pieces: sensitive alteration and new uses can be essential to keeping older buildings viable and in active use. His wider approach is based on understanding a building’s history and condition and drawing on the skills of fellow professionals and craftspeople to determine the right response.
He was appointed Cathedral Architect to Liverpool Cathedral in 2019 and is now serving his second five-year term, with responsibility for work relating to the care of the Grade I listed building. Another project he is particularly proud of is the repair of Henry’s Castle, between Brigsteer and Underbarrow near Kendal. The building has a complex history and is now used as a field barn, with evidence of earlier domestic use. The project involved an extensive programme of fabric repair to secure the building for generations to come.