Basic Biographical Details

Name: David Gosling
Designation:  
Born: 14 September 1934
Died: 1 May 2002
Bio Notes: David Gosling was born in Manchester on 14 September 1934 and educated at William Hulme's grammar school. He studied architecture and town planning at Manchester University before securing a Harkness Fellowship in 1957. This enabled him to take a masters in architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1958, where he studied under Kevin Lynch, and another in city planning at Yale University the following year. In 1961 he spent time studying architecture in Brazil, where he met his future wife Miriam Vieira Lima. Soon afterwards he joined the Manchester City Architect's Department, where his work was strongly influenced by the writings of Gordon Cullen in 'Architectural Review' on the subject of serial vision. In 1963 he was Hunt Bursar.

He was deputy chief architect and planner to Runcorn New Town from 1965 to 1967, and in 1968 was appointed chief architect and planner at Irvine New Town Development Corporation. On leaving the latter post in 1973, he became professor and head of the School of Architecture and dean of the faculty of architectural studies at Sheffield University, for which he and his colleagues proceeded to forge an international reputation. In the same year he invited Cullen to participate in a design study for the proposed new town of Maryculter. Although unexecuted, the scheme marked the beginning of a series of collaborations with Cullen, on whom Gosling would eventually write write an acclaimed book.

In 1991 he joined the University of Cincinnati as the state of Ohio's first eminent scholar in urban design, and he was delighted to find that the appointment coincided with an opportunity to buy and live in one of the last of Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian houses.

Gosling was skilled as an architect, artist, planner, draughtsman and photographer, but his greatest impact was made in the field of education. He combined an ability for sharp criticism with a profound humanity and emotional commitment that enabled him to connect with students at a deep level, offering warmth and encouragement wherever he saw sparks of inspiration.

He died of liver disease on 1 May 2002, survived by his wife, two daughters, a son and four grandchildren.

Major publications:
The Design and Planning of Retail Systems (1976, with Barry Maitland)
Concepts of Urban Design (1984, with Barry Maitland)
Gordon Cullen: Visions of Urban Design (1996)
The Evolution of American Urban Design (2002)

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 14Manchester, EnglandPrivate19341957Place of birth and youth
Item 2 of 14Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of AmericaPrivate19571958At MIT
Item 3 of 14New Haven, Connecticut, United States of AmericaPrivate19581959At Yale
Item 4 of 14Division of International Fellowships, The Commonw, East 75th Avenue, New York, United States of AmericaBusinessc. 1960  
Item 5 of 14BrazilPrivate1961 *  
Item 6 of 149, Gowan Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, EnglandPrivate1965  
Item 7 of 14Runcorn, Cheshire, EnglandBusiness19651967 
Item 8 of 14Irvine, Ayrshire, ScotlandBusiness19681973 
Item 9 of 14Manchester, EnglandBusinessEarly 1960s1965Manchester City Architect's Department
Item 10 of 141, Deveron Road, Barassie, Troon, Ayrshire, ScotlandPrivatec. 1970  
Item 11 of 14Sheffield, Yorkshire, EnglandBusiness1973Before 1991At Sheffield University
Item 12 of 14University of Sheffield, Dept of Architecture, Sheffield, EnglandBusiness1979 *After 1984 
Item 13 of 14Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of AmericaBusiness1991Before 2002At University of Cincinnati
Item 14 of 14Univ of Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Cincinnati, United States of AmericaBusiness1994 *  

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 3Manchester City Architect's Departmentc. 19611965  
Item 2 of 3Runcorn New Town Development Corporation19651967Depute Chief Architect 
Item 3 of 3Irvine New Town Development Corporation (or Irvine Development Corporation)19681973Chief Architect 

Buildings and Designs

This was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details):
 Date startedBuilding nameTown, district or villageIslandCity or countyCountryNotes
Item 1 of 3(?)Town Centre, first phaseIrvine New Town AyrshireScotlandUncertain if involved* Chief Architect/Planner of Irvine Development Corporation Architect's Department
Item 2 of 31973Bridgegate HouseIrvine AyrshireScotlandAs Chief Architect, Irvine Development Corporation
Item 3 of 31973Rivergate Shopping CentreIrvine AyrshireScotlandBegun project as Chief Architect, Irvine Development Coprporation - completed by his successor John Billingham

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 8Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A1996A History of Scottish Architecture  p574
Item 2 of 8RIBA1960The RIBA Kalendar 1959-19601959-1960  
Item 3 of 8RIBA1964The RIBA Kalendar 1964-65   
Item 4 of 8RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 5 of 8RIBA1979Directory of members   
Item 6 of 8RIBA1984RIBA Directory of members   
Item 7 of 8RIBA1994A Directory of RIBA Members   
Item 8 of 8Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p13 Shopping Centre, Irvine New Town

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1The Guardian5 June 2002  Obituary by Stephen Proctor