Michael Cook is a leading structural engineer who has made significant contributions to innovative building design through his work at Buro Happold. He has led the design of award-winning projects around the world and taken on leadership roles within professional engineering institutions. In addition to his engineering career, he is committed to educating future engineers through work with various universities. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bath in recognition of his accomplishments.

1. Michael John Cook FREng, MA (Cantab), PhD, DEng, CEng, FIStructE
Born 19th
February 1955
1) Career Chronology
1967 – 1973: Educated Rutlish School, London
1973 – 1974: Ove Arup and Partners
1974 – 1977: Cambridge University Engineering Tripos leading to MA (Cantab)
1977 – 1982: Bath University (Research Officer) 1977 to 1982, leading to PhD 1983
1982 – 1985: Structural Engineer at Buro Happold, Bath
1985 – 1986: Resident Structural Engineer at Ho-Happold, Hong Kong
1986 – 1994: Project Director at Buro Happold Bath
1994 – 1996: Office and Project Director at BuroHappold London
1996 – 2011: Partner, Director of Building Engineering, Buro Happold
2011 – Present: Chairman and Senior Partner, Buro Happold
2) Synopsis
Michael Cook is a leading structural engineer who has made a significant contribution to the design of many
innovative buildings, to the development of a thriving consultancy practice (Buro Happold) and to the reputation
of the profession.
After graduating from Cambridge in 1977 he worked with Ted Happold and Frei Otto on a range of membrane
and cable net structures. He joined a newly–formed research group at Bath University (School of Architecture
and Building Engineering), undertaking research and development into air-supported structures (1977 to 1982).
He was awarded a PhD in 1983. Since that time he has led the design of many award-winning construction
projects in UK, USA, Germany, Middle East and the Far East.
Having developed a thriving design group in London he became Director responsible for the development of
Building Engineering within Buro Happold world-wide. His design interests are fully international and projects
include the British Museum in London, ExCeL in London, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Smithsonian Museum
in Washington, an Winspear Opera House in Dallas and the pyramid of Peace in Astana, main railway terminus
in Dresden, new HQ tower for National Bank of Kuwait and Khan Shatyr leisure complex in Kazakhstan. Several
of these project has been awarded prizes for outstanding design by the Institution of Structural Engineers.
In 2011 Michael was elected to become Chairman of Buro Happold with guiding responsibility for long-term
vision and achievement of this globally respected practice of engineers. BuroHappold Engineering is now an
international firm of consulting engineers working in the built environment with some 20 office world-wide.
Beyond his design consultancy work, Michael spends much of his time spreading his passion for design across
a wide, international field. He has a particular interest in the connection between natural structures and man-
made structures and has presented papers in this field in many cities around the world. He works with students,
presents lectures and contributes to press, radio and television as a means for communicating the message that
engineering design is about translating nature into the man-made world.
Michael is particularly interested in the education of our future generations of engineers. He chairs the
Engineering Leadership Group of the Institution of Structural Engineers where he also a Vice President. He is
Adjunct Professor of Creative Design at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial
College and an external examiner at the Architectural Association, London. He is a Fellow of the Royal
Academy of Engineering and past member of their Education and Training Committee. He is a Trustee of the

2. Happold Foundation, a charity registered for the promotion of education, research and training in design for the
built environment.
His contribution to the profession includes membership of the Board of the Institution of Structural Engineers
where he is currently a Vice-President, Chair of the Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA)
from 2010-2012, Chair of the SCI Advisory Panel 2010 -12.
3) Awards
In 2009 Michael received the IABSE Milne Medal for his contribution to structural design
In 2010 he was invited to be a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering
In 2016 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering by The University of Bath.
4) Teaching/Work with University Students:
Michael has always maintained connections with various University Schools of Architecture and Engineering,
as visiting professor for Creative Design at Imperial College, or taking part in project crits. or giving informal
lectures to the students. He encourages students to come to the office and see the work of Buro Happold
and meet the engineers there for further informal crits.
Organisations that have been involved in this include:
• University of Bath 1983 - 1989 (occasional crits and visits)
• University of Portsmouth – School of Architecture (occasional crits and visits)
• Oxford Brooks University- (occasional crits and visits)
• University of Luton 1995 – 1996 (occasional crits and visits)
• University College London, Bartlett 1996 - 1999
• The Architectural Association lectures and external examiner
• De Montford University - 1997
• Royal College of Art and Design 1997 – 2000
• University of Hong Kong 2002
• Imperial College, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. Adjunct Professor of
Creative Design: 2007 – present
• Architectural Association external examiner for MSc/MArch in Emergent Technologies and
Design Programme: 2016 - present
Research Students:
• Royal College of Art: PhD Tutor for Judit Kimpian “ Design of Inflatable Structures”: 1997 to 2000
• Oxford Brookes University: PhD supervisor for Domenique Poole “Innovation in the Construction
Industry”: 1999 to 2002
• Loughborough University EngD supervisor for project to study the influence of working environment and
working methods on the achievement of successful engineering design
• Architectural Association PhD External Examiner 2015 for Elif Erdine on Parametric Computational
Design of a Tower
4) Key Professional Engagements:
• TRADA: Board Member 2005 to 2010, Chairman 2010 to 2012
• Steel Construction Institute (SCI) Chair of Advisory Group 2010 to 2012
• RAEng: Member of Membership Panel II – 2011 to 2014
• IStructE: Chair of Education Committee – 2010 to 2014
• RAEng: Member of Standing Committee for Education & Training – 2011 to present
• IStructE: Member of Council (elected 2003) re-elected Vice-President 2013 to present
• IStructE: Chair of Engineering Leadership Group – 2014 to present
• IStructE Vice President and Board Member 2014 to present
• UKGBC: Member of the Members’ Committee (Advisory)