Chamberlin, Powell and Bon
Encyclopedia
Chamberlin, Powell and Bon were one of the most important modernist architectural firms in post-war England.
. The three founding partners taught at Kingston Polytechnic (now Kingston University
School of Architecture) when they each entered the design competition with the agreement that should any of them win they would form a partnership with the other two to deliver the project. The Golden Lane Estate is sometimes referred to as the apprentice piece of the Practice and is important for its planned landscape which 'straddles the boundary between the picturesque and the formal'.
Charles Greenberg became an additional partner of the practice in 1960, although he chose not to add his name to the partnership for personal reasons. He was the only other partner working with CP&B on Barbican. Frank Woods also became an additional partner, and in 1985 the firm name became Chamberlin Powell Bon & Woods.
they won the commission to design and execute the adjacent Barbican
development, also for the Corporation of the City of London
, the wealthy municipal administration that has responsibility for the historic core of London, today the central business district.The Barbican was such a large job they set up a sub-practice to deal with it: Chamberlin Powell and Bon (Barbican) Ltd.
The firm was strongly influenced by the work and ideas of Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier
. Other works included two schools in London, New Hall, Cambridge
(a new college at Cambridge University) now known as Muray Edwards College and an ambitious materplan and major expansion of the campus at University of Leeds
.
It is a measure of the importance of the practice in post-war British architecture that many of their works are now Listed Buildings.
Formation
The practice was founded in 1952 by Geoffry Powell (1920-1999), Peter (always known as Joe) Chamberlin (1919-1978) and Christoph Bon (1921-1999), following Powell's win in the 1951 architectural competition for the Golden Lane EstateGolden Lane Estate
The Golden Lane Estate is a 1950s council housing complex in the City of London. It was built on the northern edge of the City, in an area devastated by bombing during World War II.-Origins:...
. The three founding partners taught at Kingston Polytechnic (now Kingston University
Kingston University
Kingston University is a public research university located in Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, United Kingdom. It was originally founded in 1899 as Kingston Technical Institute, a polytechnic, and became a university in 1992....
School of Architecture) when they each entered the design competition with the agreement that should any of them win they would form a partnership with the other two to deliver the project. The Golden Lane Estate is sometimes referred to as the apprentice piece of the Practice and is important for its planned landscape which 'straddles the boundary between the picturesque and the formal'.
Charles Greenberg became an additional partner of the practice in 1960, although he chose not to add his name to the partnership for personal reasons. He was the only other partner working with CP&B on Barbican. Frank Woods also became an additional partner, and in 1985 the firm name became Chamberlin Powell Bon & Woods.
Main work
Following completion of the Golden Lane EstateGolden Lane Estate
The Golden Lane Estate is a 1950s council housing complex in the City of London. It was built on the northern edge of the City, in an area devastated by bombing during World War II.-Origins:...
they won the commission to design and execute the adjacent Barbican
Barbican Estate
The Barbican Estate is a residential estate built during the 1960s and the 1970s in the City of London, in an area once devastated by World War II bombings and today densely populated by financial institutions...
development, also for the Corporation of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, the wealthy municipal administration that has responsibility for the historic core of London, today the central business district.The Barbican was such a large job they set up a sub-practice to deal with it: Chamberlin Powell and Bon (Barbican) Ltd.
The firm was strongly influenced by the work and ideas of Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
. Other works included two schools in London, New Hall, Cambridge
New Hall, Cambridge
Murray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It was founded as "New Hall" in 1954, at a time when Cambridge had the lowest proportion of women undergraduates of any university in the United Kingdom, and when only two other colleges admitted women...
(a new college at Cambridge University) now known as Muray Edwards College and an ambitious materplan and major expansion of the campus at University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
.
It is a measure of the importance of the practice in post-war British architecture that many of their works are now Listed Buildings.
List of works
- Golden Lane EstateGolden Lane EstateThe Golden Lane Estate is a 1950s council housing complex in the City of London. It was built on the northern edge of the City, in an area devastated by bombing during World War II.-Origins:...
, Aldersgate, London EC1 1952-1961 (Listed GII & G II*) - Barbican EstateBarbican EstateThe Barbican Estate is a residential estate built during the 1960s and the 1970s in the City of London, in an area once devastated by World War II bombings and today densely populated by financial institutions...
, London EC2 (Listed G II) - Two Saints (later Geoffrey Chaucer) School, Theobald Road, London (Listed II* but partially demolished by SouthwarkSouthwarkSouthwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
borough council in 2007 for the creation of Globe AcademyGlobe AcademyGlobe Academy is a co-educational academy in Southwark, London, United Kingdom. It is an all-through school meaning that it caters for children from nursery age through to sixth form. It is part of the ARK school network, operated by the charitable organisation ARK...
) - Development at 355 Kings Road for ILEA
- Bousfield Primary School, The Boltons, Earls Court, London SW5 1954–56 (Listed GII)
- University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, campus expansion masterplan and many individual buildings (1963-75), the largest collection of buildings by the firm after the Barbican. (Listed G II & G II*) - University of BirminghamUniversity of BirminghamThe University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
(1966) - New Hall, CambridgeNew Hall, CambridgeMurray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It was founded as "New Hall" in 1954, at a time when Cambridge had the lowest proportion of women undergraduates of any university in the United Kingdom, and when only two other colleges admitted women...
. Cambridge University a new college for an ancient university (1962-64, Listed G II*), now re-named Murray Edwards College - 30a Hendon Avenue, London N3, the only private house designed by the practice (Listed G II)
- Of the unrealised works the Zoology Tower for Oxford University, a highly figured 300 ft (91 m) point block which would have been visible all over Oxford.
- Of the demolished buildings the most significant is a celebrated Cooper Tabor Seed Factory, Witham, Essex and Shipley Salt Grammar School, Shipley, W Yorshire.