Basic Biographical Details Name: | Robert Joseph Gardner-Medwin | Designation: | | Born: | 1908(?) | Died: | July 1995 | Bio Notes: | Robert Gardner-Medwin studied architecture at the University of Liverpool where he obtained the degrees of BArch and Dip.CD. He sat the qualifying exam and was elected ARIBA in 1932. He was Commonwealth Fellow from 1934-5 and he spent two years at Harvard University. He then went into private practice for several years, where, for example, he won the competition for Kincorth Housing Scheme c.1936. From 1940 to 1943 he served with the Royal Engineers, and was then released to become the government chief architect for the British West Indies in 1944.
In April 1947 Gardner-Medwin was appointed as Chief Architect and Planning Officer to the Department of Health for Scotland, in succession to Robert Matthew. In this role he was closely involved in, for example, the Clyde Valley Redevelopment Plan. From the late 1940s he was part of group of well-established architects (including Robert Matthew, Stirrat Marshall-Johnson and Donald Gibson) who took the lead in championing the role of the public architect and campaigning for increased public-architectural representation in the RIBA. For example, in the Architect's Journal of 9 June 1949 Gardner-Medwin asked 'How can one expect good architecture from a regiment of architects commanded by a Valuer or, for that matter, by a city engineer or a burgh surveyor'.
In 1951 Gardner-Medwin was elected FRIBA. By late 1951 he had become disillusioned by the lack of political support for regional planning, and in 1952 he left the DHS and returned to Liverpool, where he was appointed to the Roscoe Chair of Architecture at Liverpool University. In July 1973 a valedictory was organised for him by the Liverpool Architectural Society, which was held at Bluecoat Chambers and presided over by Sir Robert Matthew. Seven months later Gardner-Medwin applied to the UN to work as consultant (Sir Robert Matthew acted as his referee).
Robert Gardner-Medwin died in July 1995. His son David Gardner-Medwin (born 1936) became a distinguished neurologist. He died in 2014 | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 1, 1Gilmour Road,, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1950 | | | | School of Architecture, University of Liverpool,, Abercrombie Square, Liverpool, England | Business | Before 1964 | After 1970 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposalsThis proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Robert Robertson Reid Young | 8 December 1953 | For Fellowship |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | | Space-saving cottages, Toryglen | Toryglen | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Architect of the Department of Health for Scotland | | c. 1936 | Kincorth Competition | | | | Scotland | Won competition | | 1950 | Sighthill Experimental Houses | Sighthill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | As Chief Architect of the Department of Health for Scotland. | | 1951 | Health Centre, Sighthill | Sighthill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | As Chief Architect in the Department of Health for Scotland | | 1961 | University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Dept of Engineering with Hudson Beare Lecture Theatre | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | In association with Kingham Knight Associates | | 1965 | University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Department of Botany | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | In association with Kingham Knight Associates. | | 1966 | University of Edinburgh, Department of Civil Engineering | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | In association with Kingam Knight Associates | | 1968 | University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Department of Chemical Engineering | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | In association with Kingham Knight Associates | | 1969 | University of Edinburgh, King's Buildings, Department of Forestry and Natural Resources | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | In association with Kingham Knight |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A | 1996 | A History of Scottish Architecture | | | p564 | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p11, p164-5 Sighthill Health Centre | | Glendinning, Miles | 2008 | Modern architect: the life and times of Robert Matthew | | RIBA Publishing | p88,118,130,133,455 | | RIBA | 1950 | The RIBA Kalendar 1950-1951 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | | | RIBA | 1964 | The RIBA Kalendar 1964-65 | | | | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 11 April 1947 | | | p336 (Appointment as Chief Architect and Planner to the Department of Health for Scotland) | | Builder | 27 July 1951 | | | p137 | | Scotsman | July 2014 | | | Death of David Gardner-Medwin | | The Independent | 5 July 1995 | | | Obituary |
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