Ptolemy Dean
Encyclopedia
Ptolemy Dean, a British architect
and television presenter. He specialises in historic preservation
, as well as designing new buildings that are in keeping with their historic or natural settings. He is best known for his appearances on two BBC
television series, Restoration
and The Perfect Village.
, one of the English Home Counties
. One of his sisters is Tacita Dean
, the artist.
He studied architecture first at the Bartlett School of Architecture
at University College London
, then continued with a post-graduate diploma in architecture from Edinburgh University. At Edinburgh, Dean studied under late-modernist Professor Isi Metzstein, building conservation engineer and writer Ted Ruddock and design critic Mike Duriez.
(ICOMOS) to document mud adobe structures in New Mexico
and Arizona
. He then worked for Peter Inskip and Peter Jenkins Architects on a variety of Grade I listed buildings, including Stowe House
, Chastleton House
and Waddesdon Manor
.
Ptolemy completed the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings Scholarship.
He has worked for a number of Britain's more traditionally influenced architects, including Sir William Whitfield, neo-classicist
John Simpson
, Sir Frederick Gibberd
and Richard Griffiths. At Richard Griffith's, he provided heritage assistance in obtaining planning consent for RHWL architects' post-modern influenced extension to St Pancras Chambers.
He now runs his own small practice, Ptolemy Dean Architects, near Borough Market
in London
.
, and co-written a study of London's Borough Market
.
as the resident "ruin detective" on the BBC Two
television programme Restoration
. In his seven-episode series The Perfect Village, on BBC Four
, Dean visited 12 English villages and discussed the qualities that would create the "perfect village."
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and television presenter. He specialises in historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
, as well as designing new buildings that are in keeping with their historic or natural settings. He is best known for his appearances on two 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...
television series, Restoration
Restoration (TV series)
Restoration, Restoration, Restoration is a set of BBC television series where viewers decided on which listed building that was in immediate need of remedial works was to win a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund...
and The Perfect Village.
Personal
Dean is the son of Joseph Dean, a judge, and grew up in Wye in KentKent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, one of the English Home Counties
Home Counties
The home counties is a term which refers to the counties of South East England and the East of England which border London, but do not include the capital city itself...
. One of his sisters is Tacita Dean
Tacita Dean
Tacita Dean is an English visual artist who works primarily in film. She is one of the Young British Artists, and was a nominee for the Turner Prize in 1998.-Life and work:...
, the artist.
He studied architecture first at the Bartlett School of Architecture
The Bartlett
The Bartlett is the Faculty of the Built Environment at University College London. University College London created the first chair of architecture in 1841, and the school is named after the original benefactor, Sir Herbert Bartlett.-External links:*...
at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, then continued with a post-graduate diploma in architecture from Edinburgh University. At Edinburgh, Dean studied under late-modernist Professor Isi Metzstein, building conservation engineer and writer Ted Ruddock and design critic Mike Duriez.
Architecture
After finishing his academic studies, Dean received funding from the International Council on Monuments and SitesInternational Council on Monuments and Sites
The International Council on Monuments and Sites is a professional association that works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places around the world...
(ICOMOS) to document mud adobe structures in New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. He then worked for Peter Inskip and Peter Jenkins Architects on a variety of Grade I listed buildings, including Stowe House
Stowe House
Stowe House is a Grade I listed country house located in Stowe, Buckinghamshire, England. It is the home of Stowe School, an independent school. The gardens , a significant example of the English Landscape Garden style, along with part of the Park, passed into the ownership of The National Trust...
, Chastleton House
Chastleton House
Chastleton House is a Jacobean country house situated at Chastleton near Moreton-in-Marsh, Oxfordshire, England . It has been owned by the National Trust since 1991....
and Waddesdon Manor
Waddesdon Manor
Waddesdon Manor is a country house in the village of Waddesdon, in Buckinghamshire, England. The house was built in the Neo-Renaissance style of a French château between 1874 and 1889 for Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild . Since this was the preferred style of the Rothschilds it became also known as...
.
Ptolemy completed the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings Scholarship.
He has worked for a number of Britain's more traditionally influenced architects, including Sir William Whitfield, neo-classicist
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
John Simpson
John Simpson (architect)
John Simpson CVO BSC ARCH DIP RIBA is a British architect.Simpson studied architecture at University College London. He is principal of practice at John Simpsons and Partners. Chartered Architects and Urban Designers, London...
, Sir Frederick Gibberd
Frederick Gibberd
Sir Frederick Ernest Gibberd was an English architect and landscape designer.Gibberd was born in Coventry, the eldest of the five children of a local tailor, and was educated at the city's King Henry VIII School...
and Richard Griffiths. At Richard Griffith's, he provided heritage assistance in obtaining planning consent for RHWL architects' post-modern influenced extension to St Pancras Chambers.
He now runs his own small practice, Ptolemy Dean Architects, near Borough Market
Borough Market
Borough Market is a wholesale and retail food market in Southwark, London, England. It is one of the largest food markets in London, and sells a large variety of foods from all over the world.-Information and History:...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Books
Dean has written and illustrated two books on the 19th century British architect Sir John SoaneJohn Soane
Sir John Soane, RA was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. His architectural works are distinguished by their clean lines, massing of simple form, decisive detailing, careful proportions and skilful use of light sources...
, and co-written a study of London's Borough Market
Borough Market
Borough Market is a wholesale and retail food market in Southwark, London, England. It is one of the largest food markets in London, and sells a large variety of foods from all over the world.-Information and History:...
.
Television
Dean has appeared with Marianne SuhrMarianne Suhr
Marianne Suhr MRICS is an English chartered surveyor, writer, and expert on historic buildings. She co-presented the television series Restoration with Ptolemy Dean and Griff Rhys Jones.-Work:...
as the resident "ruin detective" on the BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
television programme Restoration
Restoration (TV series)
Restoration, Restoration, Restoration is a set of BBC television series where viewers decided on which listed building that was in immediate need of remedial works was to win a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund...
. In his seven-episode series The Perfect Village, on BBC Four
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British television network operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation and available to digital television viewers on Freeview, IPTV, satellite and cable....
, Dean visited 12 English villages and discussed the qualities that would create the "perfect village."