Michael Swords - Director & Conservation Architect

Michael Swords is an AABC-accredited conservation architect and Co-founder of Michael Swords Studio. He leads the studio’s conservation, heritage consultancy and ecclesiastical work across churches, listed buildings, rural heritage and historic sites throughout the UK.

With more than 12 years’ experience across well over 100 projects in the UK and Spain, Michael’s work spans Grade I, Grade II* and Grade II listed buildings, including churches, castles, diplomatic residences, historic houses, civic buildings and conservation-led residential projects.

Michael's work combines practical conservation judgement with a rigorous understanding of historic fabric, significance, planning policy and long-term stewardship. Drawing on several conservation, restoration and adaptation theories where relevant, he develops project-specific strategies that respond to each building’s history, condition, setting and future use. Michael’s work places him among a new generation of leading conservation architects, bringing careful judgement, intellectual rigour and a clear philosophy to the long-term care of historic buildings.

Alongside a substantial portfolio of completed projects, he has prepared heritage statements, condition surveys, quinquennial inspections and conservation reports, developing a reputation for combining detailed fabric analysis with a rigorous reading of planning policy, significance and risk.

He is appointed as Inspecting Architect to approximately 20 churches and chapels across multiple dioceses, and is included on DAC-approved architect lists for the Dioceses of Carlisle, London, Southwark, Chelmsford, Chichester, Rochester, St Albans and Guildford.

Michael’s current studio work includes the Lake District National Park Authority Listed Building Condition Survey, involving approximately 2,000 listed buildings, structures and monuments; several diplomatic residences in London, Diprose Chapel; St Mark the Evangelist, Noel Park; around 20 appointments as Inspecting Architect to Churches, and strategic heritage advice for sensitive listed and conservation-led development sites.

His previous conservation experience for other practices includes working on projects at Leeds Castle, Orford Castle, St Mary’s Church Beverley, St Nicholas’ Church Chiswick, Osborne House, Royal College of Music, Wiston House, Ufton Court,  and major restoration work in Barcelona, alongside having previously worked as a developer-side project manager

• Heritage consultancy and planning strategy
• Listed Building Consent and significance assessment
• Ecclesiastical architecture and faculty advice
• Quinquennial inspections and condition surveys
• Conservation-led repair, restoration and adaptation
• Strategic advice for sensitive historic sites
• Planning policy, heritage impact and risk analysis
• Traditional materials, craft and historic construction

Michael’s personal conservation philosophy has been shaped by his experience in both the UK and Spain, working across ecclesiastical buildings, castles, townhouses, palaces, rural heritage and listed residential projects. This breadth has allowed him to develop a personal approach to conservation that is neither doctrinaire nor narrowly repair-led.

His work combines the careful fabric analysis and restraint of British conservation practice with a broader understanding of restoration, adaptation and architectural continuity drawn from Spanish and European traditions. The result is a pragmatic, project-specific approach: conserve what is significant, repair what is failing, restore where justified, adapt where necessary, and ensure that historic buildings remain useful, legible and cared for.