MA PhD FSA IHBC RIBA is chairman of the Construction History Society, Professor of Architecture Construction History at the University of Cambridge and Seear Fellow in Architecture and History of Art at Queens' College, Cambridge. His previous books include Brick: a World History (2003), Building St Paul's (2007), The Library: a World History (2013) and in the current series he has co-edited with Michael Tutton, Staircases: History, Repair and Conservation (2014) and Doors: History, Repair and Conservation (2020).

FSA IHBC has some 30 years' experience, largely in the construction industry, working principally on historic buildings as a site manager, clerk of works and consultant. He is past chairman of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and was Secretary and Treasurer of the Construction History Society. He currently divides his time as an assistant architectural advisor to Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust and as an independent scholar writing and editing. He is the series editor for this series, having worked on the first edition of the current volume with Elizabeth Hirst and on Staircases: History, Repair and Conservation (2014) and Doors: History, Repair and Conservation (2020) with James W.P. Campbell.