Basil Spence
Encyclopedia
Sir Basil Urwin Spence, OM
, OBE
, RA
(13 August 1907 – 19 November 1976) was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral
in England and the Beehive
in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style.
Spence was born in Bombay, India, the son of Urwin Archibald Spence, an assayer
with the Royal Mint
. He was educated at the John Connon School, operated by the Bombay Scottish Education Society, and was then sent back to Scotland to attend George Watson's College
in Edinburgh
from 1919-1925. He enrolled at Edinburgh College of Art
(ECA) in 1925, studying architecture, where he secured a maintenance scholarship on the strength of the "unusual brilliance" of his work. He won several prizes at the college, and meanwhile carried out paid work drawing architectural perspectives for practising architects including Leslie Grahame-Thomson and Reginald Fairlie
.
In 1929-1930 he spent a year as an assistant, along with William Kininmonth
, in the London office of Sir Edwin Lutyens
, whose work was to have a profound influence on Spence's style, where he worked on designs for the Viceroy's House
in New Delhi
, India. While in London he attended evening classes at the Bartlett School of Architecture under A. E. Richardson
. Returning to ECA in 1930 for his final year of studies, he was appointed a junior lecturer, despite the fact that he was still a student. He would continue to teach at ECA until 1939.
& Paul, in Rutland Square, Edinburgh. The practice was founded on two residential commissions which Kininmonth had obtained that year. In 1933, Spence designed the Southside Garage, on Causewayside, Edinburgh, in an Art Deco
style.
In 1934 Spence married, and the Kininmonth & Spence practice merged with Rowand Anderson & Paul. Arthur Balfour Paul died in 1938, leaving Kininmonth and Spence in charge of the renamed Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners. Spence's work was now concentrated on exhibition design, including three pavilions for the 1938 Empire Exhibition
in Glasgow, and country houses. The first two of these, Broughton Place with Broughton Gallery
at Broughton near Biggar
, and Quothquhan in Lanarkshire
, were executed in traditional Scottish styles at the client's request. The third, however, was entirely modern. Gribloch was designed for John Colville, grandson of the founder of Colville's Iron Works, and his American wife. It was designed in a modernist Regency
style, with assistance from Perry Duncan, an American architect hired by the Colvilles when Spence was too busy with exhibition work to progress the project.
. He was initially based at Farnham
in Surrey
, but took part in the D-Day
landings in 1944. He was demobilised in September 1945, having reached the rank of major and been mentioned in despatches twice.
. That year he opened a London office, moving there permanently from 1953. A second office was opened in 1956 at Canonbury, which became the creative hub of the practice. From 1958 to 1960 Spence was the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects
.
On 14 November 1940, Coventry's Anglican Cathedral
had been almost completely destroyed during enemy bombing
a year into World War II
. In 1944, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
submitted a design proposal to rebuild the cathedral but this was rejected by the Royal Fine Arts Commission
. In 1950, a competition was launched to find the most suitable design from a Commonwealth of Nations
architect. Over 200 entries were received, but Spence's radical design was ultimately chosen. Work began in 1956 and the structure was completed in 1962.
Spence was knighted in 1960 for his work at Coventry, while the cathedral was still being built.
In 1959 Spence secured two important commissions, for the British Embassy in Rome (completed 1971), and for the Hyde Park Cavalry Barracks in London (completed 1970). He was also responsible for designing the high-rise Hutchesontown
C housing in Glasgow. These were intended to replace the notorious slum tenement
s in the Gorbals
area of the city. However, a combination of social deprivation and exclusion in the relevant areas, coupled to poor execution of his designs meant that the developments created as many problems as they solved, and led to their demolition in 1993. He was also responsible for modernist buildings on The Canongate in Edinburgh, opposite the new Scottish Parliament and in view of Holyrood Palace. This area is named Brown's Close and was listed in 2008. These buildings are privately owned and are currently undergoing repairs to the roofs and spallings (Nov 2010) to preserve this early example of his work. Other work in the 1960s included the executive wing
of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings
in Wellington, nicknamed "The Beehive", Edinburgh University Library, and Abbotsinch Airport
(now Glasgow Airport). In 1960, Spence designed Mortonhall
Crematorium in Edinburgh's Braid Hills area (based on the same angled fin concept as found at Coventry Cathedral). He also designed Trawsfynydd
nuclear power station, which was unveiled in Snowdonia
, north Wales, in 1964.
The Spence practice was rearranged in 1964, with the Canonbury office being renamed Sir Basil Spence OM RA, and the second London office Spence Bonnington & Collins. The Edinburgh office was also renamed for its partners, Spence Glover & Ferguson. From 1961 to 1968, Spence was Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy
. Through the 1970s, Spence continued to work on public and private commissions, universities and offices including Aston University
Library and Management Centre. His last work was for an unexecuted cultural centre for Bahrain
, which he worked on during illness in 1976. Some of his final commissions were not built until after his death; for example, his design for the new Glasgow Royal Infirmary
was completed in 1981.
Spence died in November 1976 at his home at Yaxley, Suffolk
and was buried at nearby Thornham Parva
. His practice - Spence, Ferguson and Glover continued until 1992 before being disbanded.
Lord St John of Fawsley remarked that "Basil Spence's barracks
in Hyde Park
ruined that park; in fact, he has the distinction of having ruined two parks, because of his Home Office
building (50 Queen Anne's Gate
), which towers above St. James's Park
."
Spence has been compared to Robert Adam
for his attention to detail, particularly in incorporating bespoke furniture and other elements into interior spaces.
He has recently been the subject of a BBC
documentary, Rebuilding Basil Spence, which revises his place in 20th Century British architecture and asks why he has been long overlooked. And in 1993 Spence's Hutchesontown C complex was listed by the international conservation organisation DoCoMoMo as one of Scotland's sixty key monuments
of the post-war
years; ironically the same year as it was demolished.
In August 2010 English Heritage
recommended that the Spence designed Sydenham school
be given Grade II status, the building was due to be demolished to make way for a new modern building.
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit is a British dynastic order recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or for the promotion of culture...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, RA
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
(13 August 1907 – 19 November 1976) was a Scottish architect, most notably associated with Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
in England and the Beehive
Beehive (building)
The Beehive is the common name for the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings, located at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington...
in New Zealand, but also responsible for numerous other buildings in the Modernist/Brutalist style.
Training
Assayer
An assayer is a person who tests ores and minerals and analyzes them to determine their composition and value. They may use spectrographic analysis, chemical solutions, and chemical or laboratory equipment, such as furnaces, beakers, graduates, pipettes, and crucibles.An assayer separates metals...
with the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
. He was educated at the John Connon School, operated by the Bombay Scottish Education Society, and was then sent back to Scotland to attend George Watson's College
George Watson's College
George Watson's College, known informally as Watson's, is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871 and was merged with its sister school...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
from 1919-1925. He enrolled at Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh College of Art
Edinburgh College of Art is an art school in Edinburgh, Scotland, providing tertiary education in art and design disciplines for over two thousand students....
(ECA) in 1925, studying architecture, where he secured a maintenance scholarship on the strength of the "unusual brilliance" of his work. He won several prizes at the college, and meanwhile carried out paid work drawing architectural perspectives for practising architects including Leslie Grahame-Thomson and Reginald Fairlie
Reginald Fairlie
Reginald Francis Joseph Fairlie was a Scottish architect.Born at Kincaple, Fife, he was educated in Birmingham....
.
In 1929-1930 he spent a year as an assistant, along with William Kininmonth
William Kininmonth (architect)
Sir William Hardie Kininmonth was a Scottish architect whose work mixed a modern style with Scottish vernacular.- Biography :...
, in the London office of Sir Edwin Lutyens
Edwin Lutyens
Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens, OM, KCIE, PRA, FRIBA was a British architect who is known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era...
, whose work was to have a profound influence on Spence's style, where he worked on designs for the Viceroy's House
Rashtrapati Bhavan
The Rashtrapati Bhavan or The Official Residence of the Head of the State is the official residence of the President of India, located at Raisina hill in New Delhi, India. Until 1950 it was known as "Viceroy's House" and served as the residence of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India...
in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
, India. While in London he attended evening classes at the Bartlett School of Architecture under A. E. Richardson
Albert Richardson
Sir Albert Edward Richardson K.C.V.O., F.R.I.B.A, F.S.A., was a leading English architect, teacher and writer about architecture during the first half of the 20th century...
. Returning to ECA in 1930 for his final year of studies, he was appointed a junior lecturer, despite the fact that he was still a student. He would continue to teach at ECA until 1939.
Early career
After graduating in 1931, Kininmonth and Spence set up in practice together, based in a room within the office of Rowand AndersonRobert Rowand Anderson
Sir Robert Rowand Anderson RSA was a Scottish Victorian architect. Anderson trained in the office of George Gilbert Scott in London before setting up his own practice in Edinburgh in 1860. During the 1860s his main work was small churches in the 'First Pointed' style that is characteristic of...
& Paul, in Rutland Square, Edinburgh. The practice was founded on two residential commissions which Kininmonth had obtained that year. In 1933, Spence designed the Southside Garage, on Causewayside, Edinburgh, in an Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style.
In 1934 Spence married, and the Kininmonth & Spence practice merged with Rowand Anderson & Paul. Arthur Balfour Paul died in 1938, leaving Kininmonth and Spence in charge of the renamed Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners. Spence's work was now concentrated on exhibition design, including three pavilions for the 1938 Empire Exhibition
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938
Empire Exhibition, Scotland 1938 was an international exposition held at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, from May to December 1938....
in Glasgow, and country houses. The first two of these, Broughton Place with Broughton Gallery
Broughton Gallery
The Broughton Gallery is an art gallery in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, in the village of Broughton.The gallery was established in 1976 and offers works by contemporary British artists and craft makers. It is housed in Broughton Place, a historic house designed by Sir Basil Spence in 1936...
at Broughton near Biggar
Biggar
- Places :* Biggar, Cumbria, England* Biggar, Saskatchewan, Canada* Biggar, South Lanarkshire, Scotland- Electoral districts :* Biggar , provincial electoral district since 2002...
, and Quothquhan in Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, were executed in traditional Scottish styles at the client's request. The third, however, was entirely modern. Gribloch was designed for John Colville, grandson of the founder of Colville's Iron Works, and his American wife. It was designed in a modernist Regency
Regency architecture
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built in Britain during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style...
style, with assistance from Perry Duncan, an American architect hired by the Colvilles when Spence was too busy with exhibition work to progress the project.
Army service
In 1939, Spence was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the Camouflage Training and Development Unit of the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He was initially based at Farnham
Farnham
Farnham is a town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. The town is situated some 42 miles southwest of London in the extreme west of Surrey, adjacent to the border with Hampshire...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, but took part in the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
landings in 1944. He was demobilised in September 1945, having reached the rank of major and been mentioned in despatches twice.
Post-war career
Spence returned to Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners briefly, before setting up his own practice, Basil Spence & Partners, with Bruce Robertson. He was awarded an OBE in 1948 for his work in exhibition design, work which he continued with the Sea and Ships Pavilion for the 1951 Festival of BritainFestival of Britain
The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
. That year he opened a London office, moving there permanently from 1953. A second office was opened in 1956 at Canonbury, which became the creative hub of the practice. From 1958 to 1960 Spence was the President of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
.
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral
Coventry Cathedral, also known as St Michael's Cathedral, is the seat of the Bishop of Coventry and the Diocese of Coventry, in Coventry, West Midlands, England. The current bishop is the Right Revd Christopher Cocksworth....
had been almost completely destroyed during enemy bombing
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
a year into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1944, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
Giles Gilbert Scott
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, OM, FRIBA was an English architect known for his work on such buildings as Liverpool Cathedral and Battersea Power Station and designing the iconic red telephone box....
submitted a design proposal to rebuild the cathedral but this was rejected by the Royal Fine Arts Commission
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment was an executive non-departmental public body of the UK government, established in 1999. It was funded by both the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Communities and Local Government.-Function:CABE was the...
. In 1950, a competition was launched to find the most suitable design from a Commonwealth of Nations
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
architect. Over 200 entries were received, but Spence's radical design was ultimately chosen. Work began in 1956 and the structure was completed in 1962.
Spence was knighted in 1960 for his work at Coventry, while the cathedral was still being built.
Later work
Hutchesontown
Hutchesontown is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde. It forms part of the Gorbals.In McNeill Street, Hutchesontown has one of Glasgow's original Carnegie libraries, deftly designed by the Inverness born architect James Robert Rhind.Following the...
C housing in Glasgow. These were intended to replace the notorious slum tenement
Tenement
A tenement is, in most English-speaking areas, a substandard multi-family dwelling, usually old, occupied by the poor.-History:Originally the term tenement referred to tenancy and therefore to any rented accommodation...
s in the Gorbals
Gorbals
The Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the River Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. By the late 19th century, it had become over-populated and adversely affected by local industrialisation. Many people lived here because their jobs provided this home and they could not afford their own...
area of the city. However, a combination of social deprivation and exclusion in the relevant areas, coupled to poor execution of his designs meant that the developments created as many problems as they solved, and led to their demolition in 1993. He was also responsible for modernist buildings on The Canongate in Edinburgh, opposite the new Scottish Parliament and in view of Holyrood Palace. This area is named Brown's Close and was listed in 2008. These buildings are privately owned and are currently undergoing repairs to the roofs and spallings (Nov 2010) to preserve this early example of his work. Other work in the 1960s included the executive wing
Beehive (building)
The Beehive is the common name for the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings, located at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton Quay, Wellington...
of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings
New Zealand Parliament Buildings
The New Zealand Parliament Buildings house the New Zealand Parliament and are on a 45,000 square metre site at the northern end of Lambton Quay, Wellington...
in Wellington, nicknamed "The Beehive", Edinburgh University Library, and Abbotsinch Airport
Glasgow International Airport
Glasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire...
(now Glasgow Airport). In 1960, Spence designed Mortonhall
Mortonhall
Mortonhall is an area of Edinburgh, Scotland, on the south edge of the city. It is perhaps best known for its crematorium, designed by Sir Basil Spence, which is considered to be an outstanding example of Scottish modern architecture. It is based on the same design as his work at Coventry...
Crematorium in Edinburgh's Braid Hills area (based on the same angled fin concept as found at Coventry Cathedral). He also designed Trawsfynydd
Trawsfynydd
Trawsfynydd is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, adjacent to the A470 north of Dolgellau near Blaenau Ffestiniog....
nuclear power station, which was unveiled in Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
, north Wales, in 1964.
The Spence practice was rearranged in 1964, with the Canonbury office being renamed Sir Basil Spence OM RA, and the second London office Spence Bonnington & Collins. The Edinburgh office was also renamed for its partners, Spence Glover & Ferguson. From 1961 to 1968, Spence was Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
. Through the 1970s, Spence continued to work on public and private commissions, universities and offices including Aston University
Aston University
Aston University is a "plate glass" campus university situated at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England.Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, Aston was granted its Royal Charter as Aston University on 22 April 1966...
Library and Management Centre. His last work was for an unexecuted cultural centre for Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, which he worked on during illness in 1976. Some of his final commissions were not built until after his death; for example, his design for the new Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
The Glasgow Royal Infirmary is a large teaching hospital, operated by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,. With a capacity of around 1000 beds, the hospital campus covers an area of around 20 acres, situated on the north-eastern edge of the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:Designed by Robert...
was completed in 1981.
Spence died in November 1976 at his home at Yaxley, Suffolk
Yaxley, Suffolk
Yaxley is a small village just west of Eye in Suffolk, England. The name means 'cuckoo-clearing'.-Church of St. Mary:Pevsner said of the 12th Century Church that the north porch was 'one of the most swagger in Suffolk'. The church has the remnants of a large medieval doom painting . High up on the...
and was buried at nearby Thornham Parva
Thornham Magna
Thornham Magna is the sister village of Thornham Parva, about 3.5 miles from Eye, Suffolk and close to the A140 main road from Norwich to Ipswich, the county towns of Norfolk and Suffolk....
. His practice - Spence, Ferguson and Glover continued until 1992 before being disbanded.
Assessment
Hyde Park Barracks, London
The Hyde Park Barracks are located in Knightsbridge in central London, U.K. on the southern edge of Hyde Park. Historically they were often known as Knightsbridge Barracks and this name is still sometimes used informally...
in Hyde Park
Hyde Park, London
Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in central London, United Kingdom, and one of the Royal Parks of London, famous for its Speakers' Corner.The park is divided in two by the Serpentine...
ruined that park; in fact, he has the distinction of having ruined two parks, because of his Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
building (50 Queen Anne's Gate
50 Queen Anne's Gate
102 Petty France is an office block on Petty France in Westminster, London, overlooking St. James's Park, which was designed by Fitzroy Robinson & Partners, with Sir Basil Spence and completed in 1976. It was well-known as the main location for the UK Home Office department between 1978 and 2004...
), which towers above St. James's Park
St. James's Park
St. James's Park is a 23 hectare park in the City of Westminster, central London - the oldest of the Royal Parks of London. The park lies at the southernmost tip of the St. James's area, which was named after a leper hospital dedicated to St. James the Less.- Geographical location :St. James's...
."
Spence has been compared to Robert Adam
Robert Adam
Robert Adam was a Scottish neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam , Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him...
for his attention to detail, particularly in incorporating bespoke furniture and other elements into interior spaces.
He has recently been the subject of a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
documentary, Rebuilding Basil Spence, which revises his place in 20th Century British architecture and asks why he has been long overlooked. And in 1993 Spence's Hutchesontown C complex was listed by the international conservation organisation DoCoMoMo as one of Scotland's sixty key monuments
DoCoMoMo Key Scottish Monuments
DoCoMoMo Key Scottish Monuments is a list of 60 notable post-war buildings in Scotland, compiled in 1993 by the international architectural conservation organisation DoCoMoMo....
of the post-war
Post-war
A post-war period or postwar period is the interval immediately following the ending of a war and enduring as long as war does not resume. A post-war period can become an interwar period or interbellum when a war between the same parties resumes at a later date...
years; ironically the same year as it was demolished.
In August 2010 English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
recommended that the Spence designed Sydenham school
Sydenham School
Sydenham School is a comprehensive girls' school located on Dartmouth Road in Sydenham, London.-History:...
be given Grade II status, the building was due to be demolished to make way for a new modern building.
List of projects
- Sydenham SchoolSydenham SchoolSydenham School is a comprehensive girls' school located on Dartmouth Road in Sydenham, London.-History:...
, SydenhamSydenhamSydenham is an area and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham; although some streets towards Crystal Palace Park, Forest Hill and Penge are outside the ward and in the London Borough of Bromley, and some streets off Sydenham Hill are in the London Borough of Southwark. Sydenham was in...
, London (1953) - Broughton Place (a private house in the style of a 17th century Scottish tower house in Broughton, Scottish Borders with decorative reliefs by architectural sculptor Hew LorimerHew LorimerHew Martin Lorimer was a Scottish sculptor.He was born in Edinburgh, the second son of architect Sir Robert Lorimer. He was educated at Loretto School in Musselburgh, then at Magdalen College, Oxford University, but he left Oxford prematurely to study design and sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art...
) (1938) - Gribloch (a house near Kippen, StirlingStirlingStirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
) (1938–39) - Kilsyth Academy, KilsythKilsythKilsyth is a town of 10,100 roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-Location:...
(opened 1954, designed 1930) - Sea and Ships Pavilions for Festival of BritainFestival of BritainThe Festival of Britain was a national exhibition in Britain in the summer of 1951. It was organised by the government to give Britons a feeling of recovery in the aftermath of war and to promote good quality design in the rebuilding of British towns and cities. The Festival's centrepiece was in...
(1951) - Duncanrig Secondary School, East KilbrideEast KilbrideEast Kilbride is a large suburban town in the South Lanarkshire council area, in the West Central Lowlands of Scotland. Designated as Scotland's first new town in 1947, it forms part of the Greater Glasgow conurbation...
, Greater GlasgowGreater GlasgowGreater Glasgow is an urban settlement in Scotland consisting of all localities which are physically attached to the city of Glasgow, forming with it a single contiguous urban area...
(1953) - St Paul's Church, Wordsworth AvenueSt Paul's Church, Wordsworth AvenueSt Paul’s Church is situated within the English city of Sheffield on Wordsworth Avenue in the northern suburb of Parson Cross. St Paul’s is a modern looking post war church which has been designated as a Grade II listed building.-History:...
, SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely... - The churches of St Oswald, Tile Hill - St Chad, Wood End - St John the Divine, Willenhall. Built simultaneously in Coventry (1957).
- Thorn EMIThorn EMIThorn EMI was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. Created in October 1979 when Thorn Electrical Industries merged with EMI, it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but it demerged again in...
House, 5 Upper St. Martin's Lane, London (1959) (Spence's original exterior was demolished in the 1990s; reborn as Orion House with a full-height floor plate addition and re-skinned elevations. A 60 feet (18.3 m) metal sculpture by Geoffrey Clarke for the original façade (incorporating allusions to electric lamp filaments) has been remounted onto the added lift and service riser.) - Great Michael Rise and Laverockbank Crescent, social housing developments in Newhaven, EdinburghNewhaven, EdinburghNewhaven is a district in the City of Edinburgh, Scotland, between Leith and Granton. Formerly a village and harbour on the Firth of Forth, it currently has approximately 5,000 inhabitants....
- Erasmus Building, Friars Court, Queens' College, CambridgeQueens' College, CambridgeQueens' College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1448 by Margaret of Anjou , and refounded in 1465 by Elizabeth Woodville...
(1959–1960) - Swiss Cottage Leisure CentreSwiss Cottage Central LibraryThe Swiss Cottage Central Library is the central library of the public library service in the London Borough of Camden, and is housed in an architectural landmark building designed by Sir Basil Spence....
(originally 'Swimming Baths'), London (1962-4) - Spence House, near Beaulieu, HampshireBeaulieu, HampshireBeaulieu is a small village located on the south eastern edge of the New Forest national park in Hampshire, England and home to both Palace House and the British National Motor Museum.- History :...
(designed 1961, for Spence's own use and listed Grade II) - Coventry Cathedral, completed 1962
- The initial campus design at the University of SussexUniversity of SussexThe University of Sussex is an English public research university situated next to the East Sussex village of Falmer, within the city of Brighton and Hove. The University received its Royal Charter in August 1961....
(1960s) including Falmer House (1962, now a Grade I listed building) - Hutchesontown CHutchesontown CHutchesontown C was the name given to a so-called Comprehensive Development Area of an area of Hutchesontown, a district in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. Its centrepiece were two 20-storey slab blocks at 16-32 Queen Elizabeth Square, designed by Sir Basil Spence and containing 400 homes...
flats, GorbalsGorbalsThe Gorbals is an area on the south bank of the River Clyde in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. By the late 19th century, it had become over-populated and adversely affected by local industrialisation. Many people lived here because their jobs provided this home and they could not afford their own...
, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
(1962 – demolished in 1993) - Physics Building, Streatham CampusStreatham CampusThe Streatham Campus is the largest campus of the University of Exeter. The campus is renowned for its beautiful landscaping and excellent views. The centre of the campus is occupied by teaching, administrative and service buildings...
, University of ExeterUniversity of ExeterThe University of Exeter is a public university in South West England. It belongs to the 1994 Group, an association of 19 of the United Kingdom's smaller research-intensive universities....
. - Nuffield Theatre, Highfield Campus, University of SouthamptonUniversity of SouthamptonThe University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
(1964) - The "BeehiveBeehiveA beehive is a structure in which bees live and raise their young.Beehive may also refer to:Buildings and locations:* Bee Hive, Alabama, a neighborhood in Alabama* Beehive , a wing of the New Zealand Parliament Buildings...
", the executive wing of the New Zealand Parliament BuildingsNew Zealand Parliament BuildingsThe New Zealand Parliament Buildings house the New Zealand Parliament and are on a 45,000 square metre site at the northern end of Lambton Quay, Wellington...
WellingtonWellingtonWellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand (1964) - TrawsfynyddTrawsfynyddTrawsfynydd is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, adjacent to the A470 north of Dolgellau near Blaenau Ffestiniog....
Nuclear Power Station (1965) - St Aidan's CollegeSt Aidan's CollegeSt Aidan's College is a college of the University of Durham in England. Founded in 1947 as St Aidan's Society, but able to trace its roots back to the end of the 19th century, the college is named for St Aidan of Lindisfarne.-History:...
, University of Durham - Library Edinburgh University
- Glasgow AirportGlasgow International AirportGlasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire...
(1966) (Spence's original façade was covered over in 1989 when an extension was built to house new check-in desks. The original structure can now only be seen from the departure gates and runway.) - British pavilion, Expo 67Expo 67The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
(1967). - 65 - 103 Canongate, social housing developments in The Canongate, Edinburgh.
- Hyde Park BarracksHyde Park Barracks, LondonThe Hyde Park Barracks are located in Knightsbridge in central London, U.K. on the southern edge of Hyde Park. Historically they were often known as Knightsbridge Barracks and this name is still sometimes used informally...
, London (1970) - British Embassy, Rome (1971)
- 50 Queen Anne's Gate50 Queen Anne's Gate102 Petty France is an office block on Petty France in Westminster, London, overlooking St. James's Park, which was designed by Fitzroy Robinson & Partners, with Sir Basil Spence and completed in 1976. It was well-known as the main location for the UK Home Office department between 1978 and 2004...
(the former Home Office building), London (1976) - Civic Centre, Sunderland (1970)
- Thurso High School ThursoThurso-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
, ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
(1957) - The Chadwick Physics Laboratory (1957–9) and The Sydney Jones Library (1976) at the University of LiverpoolUniversity of LiverpoolThe University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
- Campus development plan at the University of NottinghamUniversity of NottinghamThe University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
(1957–60) including Chemistry Building, Physics and Mathematics Building, Mining and Fluid Mechanics Laboratory, Pope Building, Coates Building - Agricultural Science Building, University of NottinghamUniversity of NottinghamThe University of Nottingham is a public research university based in Nottingham, United Kingdom, with further campuses in Ningbo, China and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
, Sutton Bonington campus (1956–58) - Aston UniversityAston UniversityAston University is a "plate glass" campus university situated at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England.Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, Aston was granted its Royal Charter as Aston University on 22 April 1966...
Library (1975) (Sir Basil Spence, Glover and Ferguson). Extended and remodelled in 2010 - Glasgow Royal InfirmaryGlasgow Royal InfirmaryThe Glasgow Royal Infirmary is a large teaching hospital, operated by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde,. With a capacity of around 1000 beds, the hospital campus covers an area of around 20 acres, situated on the north-eastern edge of the city centre of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:Designed by Robert...
redevelopment - Phases 1 & 2 (1971-82) - now known as the Queen Elizabeth Building and University Block
External links
- Article published by WalesHome about Trawsfynydd, October 2009
- Last ditch attempt to save Sir Basil's Trawsfynydd from demolition Homepage for the archive of nearly 40,000 items held by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS). Architect biography. Exhibition held from 1 January 2008 at the Royal Scottish AcademyRoyal Scottish AcademyThe Royal Scottish Academy is a Scottish organisation that promotes contemporary Scottish art. Founded in 1826, as the Royal Institution for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts, the RSA maintains a unique position in Scotland as an independently funded institution led by eminent artists and...
, looking at careers of the architects who worked in the studio of Sir Basil Spence. Extract from the Sir Basil Spence archive, featuring 57 images of his work.