Loretta Lipworth is a PhD researcher specialising in digital construction practice, Building Information Modelling (BIM), atmospheres and ethnography, at Manchester School of Architecture, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU). Her career started in set design and build for film, TV and theatre, before moving into construction design management and PhD study. She also works as a research assistant and teaches undergraduate students at MMU's Business School about technology and big data.
PHD RESEARCH
Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Construction Site Atmopsheres
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The aim of my PhD project is to investigate the relationship between affective atmopsheres and on-site construction stage Building Information Modelling (BIM) work to understand how digital practices affectively take shape in the construction industry.
BIM is a central process in the capture, production and management of digital data in construction projects, and a core component of the UK construction industry’s digital transformation agenda. The promise of BIM proliferation as a solution to a wide variety of industry ills is widely espoused by both industry experts and in academic discourse. However, studies exploring project management and workforce behaviours in BIM work have largely been approached from rationalist, managerialist perspectives seeking to understand how to improve levels of adoption and productivity, while the role of atmospheres in BIM work is almost entirely neglected. The PhD project aims to address this gap by investigating the relationship between digital practice and affective and sensory experiences on the construction site, taking a neutral view of the potential of BIM rather than defaulting to a techno-optimist approach. The study seeks to understand how affective atmospheres shape, and are shaped, by BIM work on site.
PUBLICATIONS
Atmospheric Methods Guides (2025)
A set of practical guides for academics, students or practitioners looking to use creative and sensory methods to study place atmospheres.
Created by Dr Chloe Steadman (project lead) and Loretta Lipworth (research assistant) as part of a 2024 project into methods for researching high street atmospheres, funded by a Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) Research Accelerator Grant.​
Digital Construction Case Studies eBook (2023)
A collection of accessible case studies on the real-life application of digital tools by a range of construction businesses. The aim of the eBook is to help construction business leaders explore how they could benefit from digital tools and the initial steps to take. It is also a useful resource for construction educators.
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Edited by Loretta Lipworth for Digital Construction Skills (DCS), created with funding assistance from CITB. ​
ACADEMIC EVENTS
PhD-led Seminar Series
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I run a seminar series presented by and for doctoral researchers, as part of MMU’s Arts & Humanities faculty research training programme. The seminar series offers a supportive space to develop research skills and build community.
Series 6 runs from May to September 2025. PhD students outside the A&H faculty or at other Universities are welcome to join. Get in touch if you're interested in attending.
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'Challenging the BIM Orthodoxy: Digitalisation Disjunctions' (Sep 2024)
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Paper presentation at ARCOM (Association of Researchers in Construction Management) 2024: Looking Back to Move Forward. London South Bank University.
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'The Safety Dance: Challenging BIM Conformity' (Jun 2024)
Paper presentation at EPOC (Engineering Project Organization Conference) 2024: Engineering Solutions for Uncertain Times. Maine, USA.
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‘An Affective Approach to Building Information Modelling Research’ (Sep 2023)
Paper presentation at ARCOM (Association of Researchers in Construction Management) 2023: Constructing for the Future. University of Leeds.