Sophie McCombes

Sophie is an architect who has worked on many notable projects in Manchester and the UK. With nearly two decades of experience in award-winning architectural practices, she has led projects at various scales across multiple sectors and with a broad range of clients.

She is passionate about creating people-focused places rooted in sustainable principles and designed to stand the test of time. She believes each project has unique requirements to make it truly sustainable, not only in reducing carbon consumption but also in creating a design that has longevity as its heart and serves the users' needs. Sophie is adept at responding to each project's varied political and technical challenges and relishes the opportunity to ensure the best outcomes.

Sophie is a guest tutor and critic at the Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield Schools of Architecture.

Liverpool City Council

Sophie joined Liverpool City Council as Regeneration Manager in the City Development Directorate in April 2024. Her role within the team involved managing regeneration projects across the city, working at a range of scales and with multiple different stakeholders within and outside of the Council. Her primary tasks have been to prepare design briefs, commission design teams, contractors and consultants, manage projects through the design and construction stages, coordinate with other Council departments and liaise with Ward Councillors and Cabinet Members. Because of her background as an experienced architect, she has been able to develop feasibility schemes for sites to enable early decision-making and strategic planning within the team. This has meant that she has worked across many different projects within the team and developed a good overview of regeneration and city development projects across the Directorate.