About MMA
MMA is an architectural practice with over 20 years’ experience across a range of sectors. Maggie Mullan, principal, is a chartered architect; from a base in Liverpool she has designed and delivered a wide variety of masterplans, new buildings and refurbishments throughout the UK.
MMA is immensely proud of a client base which includes private individuals and developers, universities, churches and charitable organisations. As a design consultancy and project management service, MMA is steeped in knowledge of architecture, planning, design, space utilisation, briefing and construction. MMA combines high level project insight with collaborative working to bring the best solution to each client’s needs, ambitions and budget, developing results-focused and responsive projects.
MMA has over a decade of involvement with the region and the city of Liverpool in both professional and voluntary capacities. Maggie Mullan, principal, is a Places Matter trustee, and both a freelance journalist for the Architects’ Journal, and a judge on its architecture awards panel. She is a founding member of Professionaliverpool; was the first female president of Liverpool Architectural Society, a RIBA competition advisor and external examiner at the University of Liverpool. She has been an active board member of Dream High for over ten years, and serves as both a member of the Liverpool Diocesan Advisory Committee and a Merseystem Ambassador.
Our Approach
-
Initial Assessment & Pathology Diagnosis
At MMA, empathy and analytical expertise lie at the heart of everything we do. Our process begins with a comprehensive assessment of your building’s health. We pay close attention to detail, identifying core issues affecting structural integrity, materials, and energy efficiency. This includes a skilled diagnosis of the building’s pathology, from moisture infiltration to material degradation, ensuring that each observation is tied to an empathetic understanding of the building’s history, structure, and use.
We apply analytical skills and a depth of experience in planning law to diagnose issues accurately and prioritise solutions that respect each structure’s unique needs. By understanding the complexities of your buildings and estate portfolio, we create a foundation for solutions that serve both present needs and future ambitions.
Strategic Retrofit Planning
Our approach is focused on creating thoughtful, tailored solutions that balance conservation and innovation. Working from your objectives, we blend our empathy towards buildings with expertise to recommend solutions that ensure fluidity and consistency between old and new. Whether skilled use of space, creative adaptation, or a more in-depth retrofit, our work binds heritage with modern practicality, making spaces memorable, accessible, and sustainable.
With your goals as our guide, we use our analytical skills to shape a retrofit plan that aligns with cultural, environmental, and community values. Each solution we present is technically sound and deeply aligned with the purpose, setting, and people who interact with your buildings.
Implementation & Quality Assurance
Our reputation for delivery stems from our commitment to quality and disciplined project management. We bring projects to fruition by carefully managing each phase, ensuring consistency and craftsmanship. From heritage buildings to modern structures, we work with skilled professionals who understand the balance between tradition and technology, making the right choice for every detail.
You’ll experience our dedication to running projects on time and within budget. Throughout implementation, we perform quality assurance and testing so you can fully own and have confidence in each project stage, knowing that our solutions are correct for your building and its unique context.
Long-Term Monitoring & Maintenance
MMA’s commitment doesn’t end at project completion. We establish a seamless transition to ongoing monitoring and maintenance, ensuring that retrofits remain durable and adaptable. We document each aspect of the project and provide structured maintenance planning, allowing you to confidently future-proof your buildings.
We create sustainable structures and sustainable relationships with our clients, a critical friend who continues aligning clients and building priorities that lead to successful stewardship of each property, helping you achieve your long-term goals.
Stakeholder Engagement and Knowledge Sharing
True partnership with our clients defines MMA. We build trust through transparency and open communication, ensuring that you are fully informed and empowered throughout the project. By sharing our findings and rationale, we help clients like you understand our proposed solutions and ensure they align with your objectives and vision.
With an empathetic approach, we value collaboration with regulatory and conservation bodies, ensuring compliance and respect for each building’s historical significance. Our commitment goes beyond just the work; it’s about creating spaces that embody the values and culture of the communities they serve.
Barbara Daley Hair and Beauty
MMA has a longstanding relationship with Barbara Daley Hair and Beauty, which mirrors the growth of the business. We have collaborated with the team at a number of different locations, working as true problem-solvers. MMA executed a seamless relocation from its former home on Lime Street, to a fully internally refurbished unit within the former Blind School on Hardman Street in Liverpool. MMA also carried out external changes including new signage, a new timber frame fully glazed front door and a new air handling unit.
Barbara Daley Hair and Beauty
The former school, built between 1851 and 1931, is located opposite the Philharmonic Hall on the corner of Hope Street and Hardman Street. It is Grade II listed and lies within the Canning Street Conservation Area of Liverpool.
The new site provides state-of-the-art hairdressing facilities within a unique space created through Maggie’s project management, space utilisation, and interior design from the rest of the team.
Barbara Daley Hair and Beauty
“MMA & Barbara Daley have been long standing partners, working together on all of our award-winning salons. Maggie has that expert eye and attention to detail, that has been such an asset on all our projects. We always consider her a key part of the whole creative process, from concept to completion. Whenever we are considering a new salon, MMA is our first port of call.”
– Barbara Daley
THE BARN AT BOTLEY HILL
Utilising our ecological awareness, MMA worked in unison with the client to create a be-spoke barn structure, adjacent to the 16th century Botley Hill farmhouse gastropub and mu-sic venue. Located at the top of the North Downs Way in the Surrey Hills, this luxury wed-ding venue is blessed with spectacular views of rolling countryside, which the are enhanced by the design’s panoramic perspectives.
THE BARN AT BOTLEY HILL
Utilising our ecological awareness, MMA worked in unison with the client to create a be-spoke barn structure, adjacent to the 16th century Botley Hill farmhouse gastropub and mu-sic venue. Located at the top of the North Downs Way in the Surrey Hills, this luxury wed-ding venue is blessed with spectacular views of rolling countryside, which the are enhanced by the design’s panoramic perspectives.
THE BARN AT BOTLEY HILL
Constructed externally from traditional black shiplap timber and crafted throughout from reclaimed wood, the barn features stunning floor to ceiling windows, looking out on to the landscape gardens, terraces and surrounding fields.
St Aidan’s House Conference Centre. Liverpool
MMA was commissioned in January 2015 to undertake the feasibility study, design and delivery of this pivotal project for Liverpool Cathedral and Diocese of Liverpool. Cost was a key driver and MMA worked closely with the client to refine the brief, ensuring that best value was achieved.
St Aidan’s House Conference Centre. Liverpool
Following decisive project management from Maggie and space utilisation from the rest of the team, the new building provides state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities. Sited within the demise of Liverpool Cathedral, the project was subject not only to secular planning constraints, but also to the constraints of the Fabric Advisory Committee. The new conference centre was successfully delivered, keeping within cost and programme.
St John’s Church. Ainsdale
MMA undertook the feasibility study, design and delivery of the reordering of St John’s PCC in May 2015. The team underwent extensive consultations, brief development and cost reviews to ensure that expectations and needs were met, with risks identified and managed at an early stage in the project.
St John’s Church. Ainsdale
By October 2017, the church had been completely internally re-ordered, providing a reconfigured worship space, new kitchen/toilets and entrance spaces; all whilst taking in to consideration the conservation of the existing space.
St Paul’s Goose Green. Wigan
MMA worked with the PCC (parochial church council) to undertake the feasibility study and design of the re-ordering of St Paul’s Grade II listed church in Wigan. The team is currently engaged with the client and plans are progressing to take to site late 2019.
Liverpool Central Library
The journey with Liverpool Central Library started in 2000. As an architect at AS:L, Maggie undertook the interior design scheme to improve the reception area, dating back to the 1950s. Working closely with Liverpool City Council and Central Library, they executed a responsive, results-focused vision to improve user experience and accessibility for all. Most pertinently, their goal was to save the Hornby Collection, the Picton Reading Room and the William Brown Library – the building’s archive facilities and heritage spaces.
Liverpool Central Library
A delicate balancing act was required to conserve its heritage whilst creating world-class public facilities in an exciting, 21st century environment to house the more modern additions to the library.
Liverpool Central Library
Maggie led the development of this venture from its conception in the early days all the way through to the delivery of a £50 million PFI project by Shepherd Construction. Completed in 2013, Liverpool Central Library is the second most-visited family history centre in the country, and has received many prestigious awards for design and civic contribution: RIBA North West Regional Award (2014); RIBA North West Conservation Award (2014) and LABC North West Building Excellence Awards: Regional Winner (2013).
LIPA
LIPA has embarked on an exciting venture to expand its curriculum and transform its learning facilities.
LIPA
MMA is working with LIPA to create new spaces within the existing environment, master-planning the estate to allow for future proofing and to support the delivery of innovative new courses. We have delivered £1.2m of redevelopment so far, on a live site with a very tight time frame to create specialist teaching and performance spaces. A further £2m of complex redevelopment has recently commenced.
LIPA
MMA treated LIPA’s historic estate like a living, breathing organism. All of the works were careful to consider the overall balance of the three main buildings, resulting in highly creative utilisation of space. Although each space is visually and structurally different, it is easy to identify the fluidity that underpins the relationship of the three.
LIPA
The team’s ability to successfully utilise LIPA’s current space, alongside the creation of new structures, has allowed it to provide new facilities for film, TV, virtual reality, green screen work and motion capture. The team also developed a bespoke virtual learning and performance space, which will enable students to access, record and publish a wide variety of digital material.
LIPA
“Maggie Mullan (and her associates) have been and are the most professional and agreeable architects we have worked with. Unfortunately we’ve had plenty of experience of the reverse. Maggie responds promptly, provides creative solutions and embraces change. She project manages to ensure that work comes in on time and on budget. And if there are budget changes, these are fully discussed to ensure there are no surprises.”
University of Liverpool
MMA spearheaded the master plan of the University of Liverpool’s School of Environmental Sciences. This project involved the reimagining of the department’s configuration, relocating it from six buildings in the northern campus to what is now its new home in the northern campus, supporting and facilitating a period of complex operational change.
University of Liverpool
The practice had to determine a viable and sustainable schedule of activities, complete an adjacencies analysis and conduct a fully comprehensive feasibility study for a co-located School of Environmental Sciences.
University of Liverpool
Utilising specialist space utilisation and briefing skills, MMA successfully proposed the new schedule of accommodation for the co-located school. This challenge proved to be critical – MMA created and managed the consultation and stakeholder engagement process to ensure cross-departmental buy-in and endorsement of the proposals, maintaining and en-hancing identity and repurposing space for 21st century expectations and demands.
University of Liverpool
MMA proposed a seamless blend the of both new and old estate for the University of Liverpool, and the School of Environmental Sciences, creating a unique sense of place.
LIPA
Liverpool Central Library
Barbara Daley Hair and Beauty
The Barn at Botley Hill
Church Diocese
University of Liverpool
