The Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects

Newsletter
From the Master

Issue 26 - February 2012

A happy New Year to those I have not seen since that start of 2012 and let us hope for a prosperous year and a steep climb out of the recession. The time since September, a third of my year having passed, has been busy and enjoyable. My feet did not seem to touch the floor in the period up to Christmas attending events both Livery related and Civic occasions and networking with my fellow Masters at the receptions. The Livery Halls Walk went very well with fine weather, good company and the occasional glass of goodness to keep us going. All 40 Halls were visited in the best time, we are told, and our final visit was to the Mansion House to present a cheque to the Lady Mayoress (the Lord Mayor having just returned from Nigeria) for 2,000 toward their Charities. A record amount of 1,758 was collected in support of our Charitable Trust from our members and Susan and my own friends who generously gave in support of my walking efforts. I am pleased to report that the Greetings card which I printed to support the Trust has raised nearly 2,000. There are still quite a number of cards to be sold and I look forward to receiving your orders as we come close to Easter. The Lord Mayor was duly elected on the 3 October and his Pageant went well on the 12 November where I was joined by the Jaki Howes and Michael Bailey, student member, who stoically waved our banner all the way round and was rewarded with a few glasses of Champagne courtesy of the Master Mariners Company on HQS wellington. Susan and I attended the "Art in the City" exhibition of the work of the members of the Painter Stainers' Company (curated by our Past Master Peter Luscombe). A very enjoyable evening although we came away a few hundred pounds lighter as Susan chose an oil painting of three puffins by Julia Cox. I commend all to attend this event and support those members producing good work at reasonable prices. I would particularly like to bring to your notice a presentation by those involved in the Guildhall School of Music and Drama's "Campaign for Milton Court". Professor Barry Ife (Principal)and Sir David Brewer (Chairman of the Campaign board) gave a very convincing presentation about the work of the GSMD and the intentions for the new Building. Lacking proper facilities for the ever growing number of students and children attending the school, it will provide a Concert Hall, Theatre, TV Studio and many teaching and rehearsal rooms - facilities which will support the role of the GSMD as a top international conservatoire and turn their students into world class performers. I look forward to your support for an initiative I am launching to make a donation from the Company to support the GSMD. Susan and I were guests of the York Guild of Building at Merchant Taylors Hall in York at their Annual Dinner. This was followed by the Team Build Weekend in Oxford. An action packed two days of intensive designing, planning and presentations to a panel of judges (who were as exhausted as the participants!). The top prize went to a team from BDP and our own prize was awarded for Construction Procurement Strategy . This is very good training for the young members of the construction industry and I would certainly encourage all those who can form a team to do so for next year. Details can be found on www.teambuilduk.com I find myself better informed and CPD boosted from the many lectures I have attended, ranging from "Is UK Energy fit for purpose" (Fuellers) to the mind boggling "The Future of Digital" (Marketors) and the very informative "Paving the way to a Sustainable Future" (Paviors). Am I any wiser? I'll let you know at the end of the Year. The pace is picking up in the New Year and I hope to see you all at the 14 March Banquet at Haberdashers' Hall.
www.architects-livery-company.org 1

News from the Court

The New Year Court was held, for the first time at Bakers Hall in Harp Street. This hall, the fourth on the same site, offers interesting premises.Interesting because they are, from an interior design and lighting point of view at least, instantly recognizable as a product of their times (the Hall was rebuilt after its predecessor had been destroyed by enemy action in 1940). They are also interesting in that the Court Room is modelled on the traditional pattern with the Master seated at a desk in the centre of a U-shaped configuration of benches. No one, other than the Master has a writing surface and the Clerk sits in splendid isolation immediately in front of and with his back resolutely to the Master. Makes communication difficult!

We were pleased to admit Yasmin Shariff as a Liveryman and Kent Jackson and Chris Dyson as Freemen. Our student community received a boost with the binding of Naveen Anandakumar to Mentor Anne Markey.

New Members
Christopher Dyson MArch (Hons), Dip Arch, RIBA Chris Dyson has worked for 25 years in the arena of both public and private buildings. He read Architecture at Oxford Brookes University and the Mackintosh School of Architecture where, following a number of awards and nominations, he took his Masters in Architecture. He then moved to London to work for James Stirling Michael Wilford and Associates, initially working on a number of competition projects. Chris became an Associate at Michael Wilford & Partners and was involved in a number of high profile projects in both the UK and Europe.

Any thoughts as to what the Master may have been saying behind the Clerks back should be written on a postcard and sent in a plain brown envelope! There were no special items of business before the Court except, perhaps, for a report from Peter Murray on the current situation concerning the Aldgate Arch proposal. The scheme which won the design competition has had to be abandoned due to cost and planning difficulties and it is now intended to erect a handsome timber structure - details are displayed elsewhere in this newsletter. A report was also received on another competition this time for the design of a three dimensional card to be sent to Her Majesty the Queen in celebration of her Diamond Jubilee. Details and entry forms are shown on the Company website / blog and all members are encouraged (along with architects and students from the UK and Commonwealth) to submit an entry.

He then took a post as a Design Director at Sir Terry Farrell's London studio, working on projects in Swiss Cottage, Greenwich Peninsula and a number of successful competition submissions in mainland China many subsequently realised. In 2003 Chris established Chris Dyson Architects, initially in collaboration with Michael Wilford with whom he prepared designs for a New Museum of Africa, outside Cape Town. He has established a significant track record working on a variety of complex and interesting projects including the Earl's Court Master Plan for Capital & Counties Properties, the RAF Museum at Hendon and a distinctive collection of oneoff designs for private clients. Based in Spitalfields, London, where Chris has lived for 20 years, the practice undertook many of its early projects in this particular Conservation Area. They have received many awards and are regular exhibitors at the RA Summer Exhibition. 2

Kent Jackson BArch AIA RIBA Kent took his undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon in 1993 and worked in SOMs offices in Chicgo before coming to London in 1999. He is the Design Director for the practice with experience of a wide range of project types and sizes both in the USA, the UK and elsewhere. Londons Broadgate Development features significantly in Kents work - SOM won the Companys New City Architecture Award for 2010 for the Broadgate Tower and 201Bishopsgate while the Public Space Enhancements which form part of the overall development were successful in winning the Award in 2004 for the Best Public Space. 2006 also saw the Practice receive a Commendation for their 10 Exchange Square project. Kent also finds time to be involved with the City Architecture Forum. Naveen Anandakumar BA (Hons) Architecture The Companys most recent indentured student, Naveen received his secondary education at Tiffin School, Kingston Upon Thames and his Part 1 qualifications at Girton College Cambridge. He is currently working towards his Part 2 at London Metropolitan University. He spent his year out working in Sydney on a variety of projects. He comes to the Company as the result of winning the Stuart Murphy Travel Award in 2011. His trip took him to Eastern Sri Lanka where he researched for a regeneration project in Kattankudy. The project was aimed towards cultural regeneration which called for the conduct of public workshops to establish an understanding of the existing status. The aim was to identify key problem areas withig the community and to

encourage local youths to become engaged in the project whilst raising cultural awareness of changes that could be made through town redevelopment. Outside of architecture Naveen is a gifted musician (Piano and Violin), is the goalkeeper for the London Mets 1st football team, was President of the University of Cambridge Break Dance Society, is running in the London Marathon and draws portraits of family and friends. Clearly, a man of many parts.

News of Aldgate Proposal

Time has passed since the Company launched its ambitious plan for the construction of a modern gate on or near the site of the historic Aldgate. A competition was launched (with generous help from a number of other Companies) and much effort was put into solving both logistical and funding problems. In the final analysis the selected scheme has proved to be not viable - engineering requirements pushed the build cost to a level at which sponsorship could not be found in the current difficult market. Since arriving at this decision Peter Murray has been looking at alternative options and has arrived at a simple, elegant structure that can be constructed largely in timber with minimal foundations.

There is considerable interest among the stakeholders around Aldgate to support such a project which will help strengthen the identity of the area. The modest funding required should be forthcoming from these sources .The City Corporation is supportive of the venture since it highlights their planning work in upgrading the local environment.
www.architects-livery-company.org 3

While the structure may be temporary in its initial position, it is proposed that it will later be rebuilt in the general area of the site when the planned traffic engineering works are put in hand. The intention is that the scheme will progress, that there will be space on the timber structure to carve the names of those Companies who have contributed and that those Companies who contributed will be invited to an opening ceremony during the forthcoming Architecture Festival which is to be held before the start of the Olympics.

awarded a Civic Trust Commendation in 1997. In 1995 John became Historic Buildings Advisor to Jersey Heritage, and working on Mont Orguil Castle, from Phase 1 of re-interpretation through to ongoing phases of restoration and building. The Castle reopened to the public in 2006. John leaves behind wife Catriona and four children, Helen, Gavin, Alice and Duncan.

Douglas Edward Deeks

Obituaries
It was with sadness that we learned of the death of Ernest Watkinson. Ernie joined the Company shortly after it received its Livery status, attended functions when he could and, despite being hampered by being largely confined to a wheelchair, enjoyed the trip that the Company took to Rioja a few years ago. He lived and trained in Northumberland, spent most of his working life until his retirement in 1999 with Faulkner Brown and Partners or their successors where he was responsible for a number of prestigious buildings many of which won national and regional awards. He influenced a variety of architects through his teaching at the Institute of Advanced Architecture at York. He is survived by his two sons - Neil, who trained as an architect but is now an Anglican priest and Simon, a sculptor.

Douglas was born in London in 1929 and studied architecture at the Brixton School of Building and then at Brighton College of Art, qualifying in the early 1960's when he joined the office of Carl Frank in London eventually becoming a partner in the firm of Frank and Deeks. Carl brought Douglas into close contact with the works of the Tecton group and also Joseph Emberton, with whom Carl had previously worked. The partnership had a heavy workload mainly of social housing and continued until Carl's retirement in the 1970's. After this a new short lived partnership saw Douglas working on a number of large refurbishment projects in the City of London mainly for foreign banks seeking to establish a presence in the capital. From the late 1970's Douglas continued to work as a sole practitioner, engaged in large domestic refurbishments in London, the suburbs and smaller projects in the Brighton area where he had lived since his student days. As well as being an architect Douglas was also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, undertaking work in the Brighton area.

We are sorry to record the death in Jersey of John Williams on 11 October 2011. Already a Liveryman of the Fishmongers Company, and following contact with John Reid, John became an early member of the Company. Educated at the AA (1953 -58) and registered (1960); he set up, with Austin Winkley, the practice of Williams and Winkley. For some 25 years they worked on residential and ecclesiastical projects, involving restoration, conservation and new work; during which time a number of awards were achieved. In 1987, the family moved to Jersey. John practising on his own and, drawing on his conservation and restoration experience, worked on several historic projects including Jerseys Country Life Museum, which was

Already a member of the Paviors Company he was among the first batch of members of our Company. Whilst a lot of his work was centred on refurbishment, he remained at heart part of the modernist tradition and would often return home with some new monograph and always at least three copies, one for himself, one for his son and one for someone he felt might be interested either in the office or his large circle of architectural friends. Douglas was always ready to give advice, lend a hand or simply to provide coffee to the many people who would put their heads round the office door. He will be missed by many.

Recent Events
The Masters Reception on 1 November took the form of a visit to Wood Street Police Station and a reception in a nearby wine bar for a glass or two of wine and a buffet supper. We were introduced to various facets of the work of the City of London Police including a demonstration of the various armaments currently in use (happily the only one actually fired was a stun gun - hence the need for the restorative beverage), a look at the stable block and a visit to the Police Museum. In this Olympic year it was of interest to note that the City Police, by dint of winning the title for Team GB on the last occasion on which it was contested in the Games (1920) are the reigning champions. We were fortunate to have a talk about the architects of the 1963-66 McMorran & Whitby building - regarded as a modernist classic - from both Mark Whitby and Edward Dennison - author of a recent book on the practice. The annual service of Christmas carols and readings at St Lawrence Jewry on Tuesday 13 December with our Honorary Chaplain, The Rev Canon David Parrott officiating and preaching. The service, put together by Liveryman Paul Weston in conjunction with both the Chaplain and his Director of Music Catherine Ennis was, as always, a delight. Sixty members of the Company were in attendance. David Parrotts sermon (if that is the right terminology) was based around the visual aids of his white gloves and a tricorn hat - accoutrements that City Vicars need to invest in if invited to take up the post as Chaplain to the Lord Mayor or a Sheriff. He outlined the code of etiquette which sets out how and precisely where they should be worn. The moral of the story was that, in much the same way as such garments rendered their owners fit for purpose on important City occasions, so should we be fit for purpose in Gods service in the City particularly at Christmas time. The buffet supper which followed at the back of the church allowed members of the Company to chat informally with colleagues, guests and friends. The recent Court meeting was followed by a buffet lunch in Bakers Hall. This formula was adopted to keep prices down and encourage greater attendance. These aims were met - numbers were 50% up on

those for recent years - but we were, to an extent, the victims of our own success in that queues for the main buffet course were longer than anticipated. Some felt that the occasion lacked dignity while others took the view that the queues afforded the opportunity to talk with others than those they were sitting adjacent. One cant win them all.

Coming Events
Notices have been sent out concerning the Livery Banquet to be held on Wednesday 14 March at Haberdashers Hall in the presence of Sheriff Wendy Mead. The Master very much hopes for a good turnout and encourages all members of the Company to support him in this, the main social function of the year. The guest speaker is to be Sir David Brewer GMG, former Lord Mayor and Lord Lieutenant of London

There are still places available for the visit to Queens College Oxford over the weekend of 14-15 April. Particulars have been sent out previously and further details accompany this newsletter. There is to be a lunch following the meeting of the Court (The Accounts Court) on Thursday 26 April. This will be a modest affair to be held in a private dining room at Guildhall. It is expected that there will be a few places available for Liveryman. The Master is currently finalizing arrangements for a visit to the Gardens of Highgrove House in May. In order to ease transport difficulties it is anticipated that there will be coach trip from central London for those wishing to attend and that the overall cost will
www.architects-livery-company.org 5

be in the order of 55.00 per head. A notice will go out as soon as possible Another event in the planning stage is the annual Ardwina lunch in June. As usual the food on offer will be balanced by an uplifting talk on some matter which will attract CPD points for those in need of them. Also, as usual, any surplus from the event will be given as a donation to the RNLI. Common Hall for the election of Sheriffs etc will take place in Guildhall on Monday 25 June. This will be followed by a lunch at a reasonably proximate Livery Hall. This is the first of two occasions on which the Livery is encouraged to attend and exercise its rights to elect the Sheriffs. At this stage there are only two declared candidates for the two places - Alderman Jeffrey Evans is standing for the post of Aldermanic Sheriff and Nigel Pullman seeks the Lay Sheriff position. Nigel, the immediate Past Master of the Leathersellers Company and long time Clerk of the World Traders Company is well known to many in the Company through his active representation of the interests of Liveryman generally over many years. A notice inviting qualified Liveryman to apply for passes for the election accompanies this newsletter. The Annual Service and Election Court Dinner will be held at St Lawrence Jewry and Pewterers Hall on Tuesday 10 July. At this stage you are asked to do no more that keep the date in your diaries. Open House Weekend is scheduled for Saturday 5 & Sunday 16 September. As always, Stephen Wagstaffe and Patricia Setfanowicz will be organizing the opening of City Churches on the two days and will welcome offers of help to steward those churches which are unable to arrange their own volunteers. Those who have helped on past occasions have invariably found the few hours a rewarding time spent as they get to know a great deal about the church they are allocated from both the material made available to them and from many of the visitors who have some historic knowledge of the church in question. On the subject of travels to foreign parts, the Master is also keen to encourage as many as possible to join him on a Masters Weekend in Prague. Details of the

trip scheduled for late August / early September and the preliminary costs are be sent out shortly to establish the likely level of interest. The Installation Court and Lunch will take place on Tuesday 18 September at Watermens Hall. Further details will be sent out in due course. Common Hall for the Election of the Lord Mayor is scheduled for Monday 1 October - Passes for this event may also be applied for at this stage. The Upper Warden has been busy putting together a programme of events for the year following the Installation Court. These will start with a a visit to the Henry Moore Foundation at Perry Green, Hertfordshire on Friday 28 September. The Masters Reception will be held at The Artworkers Guild Hall in Queen Street WC2 on 16 October. This is a rare opportunity to vist the Hall and comes our way as the Upper Warden is a Brother of the Guild. A visit has been planned for Tuesday 6 November to the Royal Courts of Justice.

The service of Carols and Readings is booked at St Lawrence Jewry for Tuesday 16 December and will be followed by a buffet supper and, we are promised by the Upper Warden, decent mince pies! The now traditional New Year Court Lunch will take place on Tuesday 22 January 2013 - details of the venue are still being decided on by the Upper Warden and the Clerk Elect.
www.architects-livery-company.org 6

There are other events also in the planning stage including a Milo Lecture, The Annual Banquet and, if all goes according to plan, an architectural study trip to Helsinki. Dates for this trip will be advertised as soon as possible together with indicative costs so that expressions of interest can be called for in good time to allow beneficial hotel etc rates to be agreed.

The Trustees ask those not contributing to the Fund, to consider doing what is a duty of all Liveryman and Freeman. Please contact Alan Downing (01628 474 561) if you can contribute.

News of students
Thanks to the excellent work being done by the long serving Master of Students Jaki Howes, the number of student members of the Company keeps growing. Despite the fact that some are approaching the Part 3 watershed more applications are being processed. The community is a vibrant one and attendance at student / mentor events is most encouraging. We had hoped to be able to report a major initiative a public art work to be carried out in conjunction with the Festival of Architecture this year but the owner of the building on whose wall a high quality and conspicuous mural was to be painted lost his nerve. Efforts are being made to see if the owner might have a change of heart. Plans are in place for visits to a number of offices and other potential visits are being identified. Following the recent admission of Grant Brooker to the Freedom of the Company a visit has been arranged to the offices of Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners. If any member has a practice with a specialism and is prepared to host a visit which might be attractive to those in training please contact Jaki Howes. The Company is participating in the third in a series of competitions for architectural students which are set up by the City of London Corporation in conjunction with the Worshipful Company of Masons, Cathedral Works Organization and Albion Stone plc to promote and encourage young innovative architectural design and stone masonry skills by co-sponsoring a competition to design a stone bench. ..... the winning student is given the opportunity to be actively involved throughout each stage of the production of thier winning design working closely with trainee masons and witnessing the installation of the bench on a prominent site at Cheapside The competition will be formally launched on 6 March with posters being prominently exhibited in schools of architecture round the country. The Company will have a representative involved in the judging and will
www.architects-livery-company.org 7

The Charitable Trust

The Charitable Trust Fund, established in April 1987 is approaching its 25th birthday. It is governed by a Trust Deed and is registered with the Charity Commission to make grants to both individuals and institutions. The primary source of income is from donations from individual members of the Company and investments. The current Trustees - Michael West (Chairman), Tom Ball, Alan Downing (Honorary Clerk), Ian Head and Stephen Wagstaffe meet twice yearly. So as to build the Fund, the Trustees expend only the money arising from interest on investments and bank deposits. This amount is made available to the Charity and Education Committee for disbursement. Awards have included Student Travel Awards,Team Build Prizes, Student Hardship, Student Drawing Prizes, The Lord Mayor's Appeal, Architects Benevolent Society, Sheriffs' & Recorder's Fund and Book Prizes at the City of London schools. A new award commencing in the year was the Jonathan and Victoria Ball Drawing Prizes for students arising from a generous donation to the Charitable Trust Fund. For the year 2011-2012 financial year, the amount available for disbursement has been increased following some substantial donations from Edward and Valerie King, Patricia and Alastair Stewart and a legacy from Gerald West. These bequests and donations are very much appreciated by the Trustees. Thanks to judicious management and sound investments the Fund saw an encouraging growth of 13.5% in the past year but a higher level of income from donations is needed if we are to pull our weight in supporting our charitable aims. At this point in time less that 40% of members of the Company contribute to the Fund.

be advising on the best way of getting details out to the wider student community. Any Company student unable to get the details is encouraged to call the Clerk The winning entries from the two previous competitions can be seen in West Smithfield and on the Riverside Walk. A full report on the presentations made by the winners of the 2011 Stuart Murphy Travel Awards - Danny Fenster and Naveen Anandakumar - has boon posted on the blog and perusal of this is recommended to you. And, talking of competitions, through Valerie Owen the Company has set one up for the design of a Three Dimensional Diamond Jubilee Card to be presented to Her Majesty The Queen. Details are available on the Company website - just click on the relevant button on the home page of www.architects-livery-company.org. This competition is open to all Commonwealth architects and architecture students. It is amusing to note from little chart which logs the number of hits on the site and their countries of origin that there are a number from countries that have either never had ties to the mother country or, even more enigmatically, fought wars to cut those ties.

The point of this report is to attach the picture adjacent in the hope that, should you recognize the item depicted around the neck of any unsuspecting citizen you report the sighting to the Clerk who will report it to the company who took our order etc.

The Clerk, when appointed in 2000, was told that the matter most likely to tax him in the execution of his job was the collection of quarterage by direct debit. The procurement of ties has supplemented this as the major source of aggravation. He reserves the right to strangle (probably with one of the hundreds of old style Company ties that remain unsold) anyone who suggests that the Company should ever again seek to involve him in the gentlemens outfitting business. You have to wonder quite how the Mercers Company managed to stay as top dogs for so long! Hullo Sailor Given that the Master is a recent Past Commodore of the City Livery Yacht Squadron he is in the ideal position to advise any aspiring sailor who wishes to join that distinguished group. He will be pleased to both answer questions and to send our the application form.

Update on ties
One of the more engaging sagas of recent years has been that relating to the new Company bow ties. The silk has been woven (see earlier editions concerning the unlucky lives of the silkworms who participated in this part of the process), the cloth shipped to the UK (at the second time of asking after the initial container was lost at sea); they have been made and now they languish in the stock room of the company whose valiant struggles with staff deaths and finding adequately trained labour have also been previously catalogued. What, you might now ask, is now the problem? Well, put simply, the company - almost the last link in this chain - has gone into receivership and the wretched person responsible for the winding up is refusing to pass the finished products to a customer (not quite us yet) who has paid for them. They not only need proof of payment in triplicate (the firms books appear to have perished in a great flood) but are also searching for someone who might pay more for the bow ties!

David Cole-Adams The Clerk The Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects 82A Muswell Hill Road London N10 3JR www.architects-livery-company.org www.architects-livery-company.blogspot.com

www.architects-livery-company.org 8