Ian Simpson (architect)

Simpson's lecturer’s post at Manchester University paid the bills; the practice wouldn’t make a profit for almost ten years.

In 2002 he moved in to live in a large apartment at No1 Deansgate, a new building he designed as part of the post-IRA bomb city centre reconstruction.

He designed the building (described as "the UK’s first proper skyscraper outside London")[1] and bought the top two floors (48th and 49th) as a 12,500 square foot shell before construction started.

When the IRA bomb struck in the City Centre in 1996, the text to the Guide was completed and agreed by the Council, awaiting illustration and formal publication.

In 2013 Simpson took on Nick Johnson, Urban Splash’s former deputy CEO, in a non-executive role to help explore future direction.