Alberto V Yebenes graduated as an Architect in the Technical School of Madrid in 2004, specialising in tectonics and structures. Completed a Post Graduate Degree in environmental urban design and ecology in 2006, worked in relevant historical and conservation projects in Spain such as the Royal Mint of Segovia, a XV Century mill converted into museum and cultural centre, San Francisco el Grande, and Beata Hospitals in Madrid.

Involved in the academic field in Spain and England, Alberto worked as a tutor for the faculty of Alcala de Henares and joined the mentoring scheme between the RIBA and Manchester School of Architecture in 2015. Between 2017 and 2023 has held the position of tutor/ Associate Lecturer for the CIA unit, Manchester School of Architecture.

In professional practice in the UK since 2014, joined Hodder and Partners where he was responsible for very relevant projects across the country like the RHS Garden in Worsley and Duncan House in London.

Project Director for TP Bennett since 2018, designed and delivered new and adaptive building reuse schemes around key conservation areas in the Northwest such as Windmill Green in Manchester or N1 City Square and 11-12 Wellington Place in Leeds, published in the Architects Journal 2020. Co responsible for design, community, sustainability, structural timber, Mixology, BCO, MSA, amongst other Architecture and interior design awards, Alberto Joins full time the School of Architecture as a Senior Lecturer in Architecture in Adaptive Reuse since January 2023

Qualified as a Mental health first aider, Alberto works as a volunteer in South Manchester for the initiatives “Chorlton Good Neighbours” and “Stories of our lives” holding a diversity commendation since 2009.

Teaching

I teach across undergraduate and postgraduate architecture, including Second Year BA and the MA in Architecture and Adaptive Reuse. My teaching integrates design, technology, and professional practice, with a particular focus on working with existing buildings and complex urban contexts.

I supervise design and research projects that engage with adaptive reuse, sustainability, heritage, and adaptable architecture, supporting students from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds. My approach combines practice-based learning, fieldwork, and reflective methods, and places strong emphasis on employability, wellbeing, and inclusive studio cultures.

I also support students beyond formal supervision through portfolio development, career guidance, and mentoring, and regularly work with alumni, practitioners, and civic partners to connect teaching with professional and community contexts.

I will start the secondary supervision of a visiting PHD student from Rome looking at adaptive reuse of urban structures Spring 2026 

Postgraduate supervision

PHD Supervision - Carolina Accolla ( Dipartimento di Architettura - Università degli Studi Roma Tre)

During her research visit at the Manchester School of Architecture (March–July 2026), Ms Carolina Accola will be supervised within the field of adaptive reuse and urban regeneration, with a focus on the transformation of disused industrial buildings. The supervision will support her investigation into the relationship between the morphological and spatial characteristics of former industrial structures and their potential for adaptive reuse, building on critical reviews of industrial heritage, post-industrial landscapes, and evolving concepts of monument, heritage, and resource. This supervision forms part of an ongoing academic collaboration between the Manchester School of Architecture and Roma Tre University, developed through reciprocal institutional visits and lecture exchanges, and aimed at strengthening research and pedagogical cooperation in adaptive reuse.

Press and media appearances and contributions

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/96433a3f38.html

Career highlights


Research

Practice-led adaptive reuse and retrofit work, addressing real sustainability and long-term adaptability in existing urban and heritage contexts.

Applied theory in adaptive reuse, translating retrofit and industrial-heritage literature into design, teaching, and public discourse.

Interactive and digitally enhanced teaching outputs (DELTA), including lectures, case-study formats, and blended learning resources.

Collaborative and public-facing outputs, including exhibitions, COIL initiatives, and partnerships with civic, cultural, and community organisations.

Fieldwork and spatial research outputs, exploring urban morphology and the ecology of the artificial environment through reuse-led design.

Impact

My impact is most visible through graduate employability, curriculum-connected practice, and external recognition. As Employability Champion for the School, I lead initiatives that connect students directly with architectural practice, alumni, and employers, embedding professional skills, portfolio development, and career awareness within both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

I design and lead national and international study trips as immersive learning experiences, linking live buildings, professional narratives, and cultural context. These trips—praised by students and colleagues—have become a key mechanism for confidence-building, interdisciplinary learning, and professional orientation, particularly for early-stage and non-cognate students.

My work has been recognised through institutional and external esteem, including shortlisting for MMU Teacher of the Year, repeated invitations as an international lecturer and critic, and leadership of award-winning, sustainability-led projects now embedded in teaching and public engagement. Together, these activities demonstrate impact that is measurable, visible, and sustained across education, practice, and the public realm.

Projects

As part of the School’s sustainable Urban futures Research group I am developing the following areas of research: 

Practice and pedagogy of adaptive reuse, exploring reuse as a research and teaching framework for sustainable urban futures. Presented in Roma 3 and Lusiada Porto Universities in 2025 

Ecology of the artificial environment, examining buildings and cities as evolving systems shaped by material, environmental, and social conditions, ongoing.

From adaptive reuse to adaptable architecture, investigating long-term capacity for change within existing urban fabric. Paper to be presented in Carleton , Canada May 2026

Urban morphology shaped by existing fabric, considering how reuse influences architectural and urban form, ongoing.