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MANILA, Philippines - Who is the English architect whose works in performing art centers, art galleries, museums, and libraries have gained international renown? Among these are the Lowry Performing and Visual Arts Center in England and the British Embassy in Berlin.
He was born in 1938 in Harfield, East Sussex, and studied at the Northern Polytechnic School of Architecture in London from 1955 to 1962 and the Regent Street Polytechnic Planning School in 1967.
In 1960, he joined the practice of James Stirling, and the partnership continued until Stirling’s death in 1992. They collaborated on many landmark buildings — the State Music School in Stuttgart, Germany, the Temasek Polytechnic University in Singapore, the Science Library in the University of California in Irvine, the Venice Biennale Bookshop in Italy, and the Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
From 1993 to 2001, he spearheaded projects like the Esplanade National Performing Arts Center in Singapore, the Tate Gallery in Liverpool, the Museum of Victoria in Melbourne, and the Royal Library in Copenhagen. He received numerous awards for his works during this time — the Stirling Prize for the University for Art and Music in Stuttgart, Germany in 1997, while the Lowry Performing Arts and Visual Center won the Royal Fine Arts Commission Building of the Year in 2001.
He now practices in an architectural firm named after him, as well as a partnership in Germany. Recent works include the British Embassy in Berlin, the Hannover Expo 2000 Trade Fair Station, and the Braun Administration Building in Germany.
He also teaches extensively in schools of architecture including posts at Yale, Harvard, Rice, the University of Cincinnati in the USA, the University of Toronto, the McGill University in Montreal, the University of Newcastle in Australia, the Architectural Association in London, and the University of Sheffield, England. He has been an external examiner at many UK schools of architecture, and sits on juries of numerous architectural competitions and awards.
His fame is such that he is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Singapore Institute of Architects, the Royal Institute of Arbitrators, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and an honorary member of Bund Deutsche Arkitecten. In 2001, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
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Last week’s question: Where is the Cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of London located?
Answer: Liverpool
Winner: Gerry Suello of Mandaluyong City
