Basic Biographical Details

Name: Harold Ernest Buteux
Designation:  
Born: 1914
Died: March 2000
Bio Notes: Harold Ernest Buteux was born in 1914 and educated at Trinity School, London. He initially trained as a structural engineer. His architectural training was interrupted by the Second World War. Bureux joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm as an observer on Swordfish aeroplanes.

After the cease of hostilities he completed his architectural training being elected ARIBA in 1948. He also became a member of the Town Planning Institute and a qualified landscape architect. He then worked with the LCC in the office of Sir Leslie Martin. In 1951 he moved to a post as group architect with Stevenage New Town. He was responsible for building factories, schools and houses as part of the New Town Development Plan. He remained in Stevenage until 1956 when he moved to a post as the Senior Architect (Housing) with the City of Birmingham.

Buteux was appointed Chief Technical Officer of the Scottish Special Housing Association in February 1959. He became an Associate of the RIAS the following year. He remained with the SSHA until 1978. He promoted a more comprehensive planning approach than was prevalent in public sector housing at the time and always insisted on the integration of landscape design. He fought against the tide of high-rise developments and championed low-density schemes, although he realised that balancing ideals and commitment to standards with practical considerations and economics was very difficult. During his tenure of this post the Association won a number of design awards, culminating in a Europa Nostra Medal in 1979.

Buteux was receptive to new ideas and his use of computers was ahead of his time. In his paper 'Houses for One Hundred Years or More' rejected the current demolish and build policies of the time. His insistence on planned maintenance, modernisation and rehabilitation of the housing stock foreshaowed things to come. His personal contribution was recognised in the award of an OBE in 1969.

Outwith his professional life he was a devoted family man. He also enjoyed walking holidays in the Lake District and at weekends he spent as much time as he could sailing on the Forth on his yacht which he shared with his great architect friend, Hamish Haswell-Smith.

In his retirement Buteux moved away from Scotland. He occupied his lively mind by studying for the degress of BA and MA in English Literature, completing the latter at the age of 72. He died in March 2000. As a person he had much energy and enthusiasm as well as impeccable professional and personal integrity.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this :
 AddressTypeDate fromDate toNotes
Item 1 of 636, Blackett Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivate   
Item 2 of 6Chalfont St Peters, Buckinghamshire, EnglandPrivate   
Item 3 of 6Goffs Oaks, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, EnglandPrivate 2000 
Item 4 of 610, Walkern Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, EnglandPrivate1955 *  
Item 5 of 619, Carnethy Avenue, Edinburgh, ScotlandPrivatec. 1960  
Item 6 of 615/21, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, ScotlandBusiness1970s Address of SSHA

* 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 4London County Council Architects' Department (LCC Architects' Department)Late 1940s ArchitectUnder Sir Leslie Martin.
Item 2 of 4Stevenage New Town Development Corporation Architects Department19511956Architect 
Item 3 of 4Birmingham City Architects Department19561959Senior ArchitectIn the Housing section
Item 4 of 4Scottish Special Housing Association (SSHA)19591978Chief ArchitectOfficial title 'Chief Technical Officer'

RIBA

RIBA Proposals

This proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate proposedNotes
Item 1 of 1Thomas Harley Haddow5 June 1968for Fellowship

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 20 Kinneil Park HousingBo'ness / Borrowstouness West LothianScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer to SSHA
Item 2 of 201960Clydebank Core Development Area, Radnor ParkClydebank DunbartonshireScotlandAs Chief Technical Advisor for SSHA
Item 3 of 201960SSHA Housing, Maryhill Barracks siteMaryhill GlasgowScotlandChief technical officer for SSHA
Item 4 of 201961Four tower blocks, Carron Street, Carron Street DevelopmentSpringburn GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer of the SSHA
Item 5 of 201961Hutchesontown / Gorbals Area D  GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer of SSHA
Item 6 of 201961Wyndford (SSHA) Housing Scheme  GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer for SSHA
Item 7 of 201962Fortrose Street Housing  GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer to SSHA
Item 8 of 201963Broomhill HousingBroomhill GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer to SSHA
Item 9 of 201963(?)Whiteinch-Broomhill Housing Development  Glasgow SSHA Architect
Item 10 of 201964SSHA Housing, BroomhillBroomhill GlasgowScotlandWith SSHA
Item 11 of 201964SSHA Housing, GorbalsGorbals GlasgowScotlandWith SSHA
Item 12 of 201964SSHA Housing, Gorget Avenue  GlasgowScotland£3m contract to be negotiated between SSHA and Gilbert Ash (Scotland) Ltd for multi-storey blocks
Item 13 of 201964SSHA Housing, North Kelvinside (North Kelvinside 'A')Kelvinside GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Architect for SSHA
Item 14 of 201964Tower Block, Collina Street, Maryhill CDA Area AMaryhill GlasgowScotlandas architect for SSHA
Item 15 of 201965Anderston Cross Core Development Area  GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer of SSHA
Item 16 of 201966Meikle Arden site housingCove DunbartonshireScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer of SSHA
Item 17 of 201967Four 19-storey tower blocks, Wester Common Road, North Kelvin CDA Area APossilpark GlasgowScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer of the SSHA
Item 18 of 201967SSHA blocks of flats  GlasgowScotlandAs chief technical officer for SSHA.
Item 19 of 201972Tweedbank housingGalashiels SelkirkshireScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer
Item 20 of 201977Park Mains HousingErskine RenfrewshireScotlandAs Chief Technical Officer

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A1996A History of Scottish Architecture  p594
Item 2 of 5Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan1994Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland Yale University Press: New Haven and Londonp369 Whiteinch-Broomhill
p381 Gazetteer 2
Item 3 of 5RIBA1955Kalendar 1954-1955   
Item 4 of 5RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 5 of 5Willis, Peter1977New architecture in Scotland  p8 Kinneil Park Housing

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 8Architect and Building News27 December 1967  p1003 Whiteinch-Broomhill
Item 2 of 8Architects Journal7 December 1966  p1405 Whiteinch-Broomhill
Item 3 of 8Builder27 February 1959  'SSHA Appointment' p433
Item 4 of 8Builder10 July 1964  p100
Item 5 of 8Builder14 August 1964  p346
Item 6 of 8Builder22 January 1965  p220 Wyndford SSHA
Item 7 of 8RIAS NewsletterJune 2000v11, no5 Obituary
Item 8 of 8RIAS NewsletterAugust 2000v11, no6 Death notice

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this :
 SourceArchive NameSource Catalogue No.Notes
Item 1 of 1RIAS, Rutland SquareRecords of membership