Michael & Sue Thornley Architects was established
in 1977 when the practice was appointed to provide
both architectural and development services to
Mansel St Monance Housing Association. The client
list subsequently expanded to include many of the
newly emerging community based housing associations.
In 1980 MAST was appointed as architects for the Speirs Housing Management
Co-operative, the first time in Scotland that local
authority tenants were given control of improvement
and repairs to their own houses. The practice was
also architect to two of the pilot projects (in
Broomhouse and Castlemilk) to test whether the inner
city community based model could be transferred to
the outer estates.
MAST has subsequently been involved in major planning and housing projects in
Easterhouse and Drumchapel, in Glasgow, as well as in Greenock and in the Vale
of Leven.
The practice has always placed great importance on training and developing
the skills of student architects. The logical outcome of this process has been
the introduction in May 2004 of 3 new partners to the practice: Michael Jarvis,
David Denholm and Mark Johnstone who joined the practice as students and now,
are Principals in MAST Architects. Michael & Sue Thornley continue their
involvement as consultants to the practice.