Larger versions of these images are located at the foot of the page. Basic Biographical Details Name: | John Donald | Designation: | Architect | Born: | 1947 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | John Donald was born in 1947 at Glenluce, Wigtownshire, the second son of John Hutcheon Donald, architect, and his wife Jane Hughes. He was educated at Wick High School and Robert Gordon’s College, Aberdeen. He studied architecture at the Scottish Sutherland School in Aberdeen from 1964-1970 and was awarded his diploma in 1970. In 1969 he won the Mary Byrne Travelling Scholarship. During his ‘year out’ in the session 1967-68 he worked in Aberdeen City Architects Department, as assistant to John Merson who was in charge of several large housing developments. From 1970-72 he studied for the degree of MSc in Rural and Regional Planning at the University of Aberdeen. On the completion of this degree course he worked as an assistant with Moira & Moira in Edinburgh. He was admitted ARIBA and ARIAS in 1974.
In 1976 Donald opened business on his own account in partnership with his wife, Marion Coats McClure, also an architect whom he had married in 1972. The couple had two children, James, a project manager with offshore windfarms and Christina, a solicitor. The practice continued until 2006.
John and Marion Donald were both members of the North-East Group of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland (AHSS), in which architectural historian Dr William Alvis Brogden had a leading role. In 1984, the Donalds collaborated with Brogden on several architectural competitions including the Macleod Centre Iona (entry selected for exhibition in London, New York, Glasgow and Aberdeen), the presentation drawings for which were prepared by Aberdeen School of Architecture student Malcolm Mackay. The collaboration between the Donalds and Brogden was formalised in the establishment of the Castlegate Design Group to put into practice the conservation principles of the AHSS. Castlegate Design Group ran concurrently with that of John & Marion Donald until the former’s closure in 2002.
Besides running his practices, John Donald held a series of teaching posts at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, being a Lecturer from 1974-1991, Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head from 1991-1998, Acting Head from 1998-2000 and Deputy Head of the School (Architecture & Surveying) from 2001-2002. He held a Tertiary Level Teaching Certificate which he gained at the Robert Gordon University in 1993. He was elevated to FRIAS in 2000.
Outwith his professional life, John is interested in history, gardening, reading and collecting books.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this architect: | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes |  | 177B, Queen's Road, Aberdeen, Scotland | Private/business | 1970s | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployers
Buildings and DesignsThis architect 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 |  | 1970 | Hill Farm Research Origanisation Headquarters, The Bush Estate | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Job architect |  | 1971 | Hanover Square Housing | Stranraer | | Wigtownshire | Scotland | Job architect |  | 1972 | Moredun Research Institute | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Pathology block, workshops and extension to Microbiology Unit - one of job architects |  | 1976 | Seacroft, Downies | Portlethen | | Kincardineshire | Scotland | |  | 1977 | 260 Queen's Road | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Garden room extension. |  | 1978 | Dale Cottage, Belvedere Lane | Cults | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Alterations and extensions. |  | 1979 | General Post Office | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Conversion to offices - working with Moira, Moira & Wann. |  | 1979 | Home Farm | Maryculter | | Kincardineshire | Scotland | Extension and conservatory. |  | 1980 | 27 Marchbank Road | Cults | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Artist's studio. |  | 1981 | 287 King's Gate | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Extensions. |  | 1982 | Gavelcruive, 177b Queen's Road | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |  | 1983 | Garage and car showroom, Lochcroft | Nigg | | Ross and Cromarty | Scotland | |  | 1984 | 207 Queen's Road | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Alterations and conservatory. |  | 1984 | Provost Young's House | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Restoration and conversion to flats. |  | 1985 | Attitude shopfront, Union Street | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | |  | 1985 | Eastside Farmhouse | Maryculter | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Alterations and extensions. |  | 1985 | Invercraig | Kingswells | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Garden room extension. |  | 1986 | 5 Royfold Crescent | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Extension. |  | 1987 | Rotunda Place, Polmuir Road | | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Alterations to facade and extension. |  | 1988 | Burnbrae, Contlaw Road | Milltimber | | Aberdeen | Scotland | Extension. |  | 1988 | The College of Scalan | Braes of Glenlivet | | Banffshire | Scotland | Repairs. |  | 1989 | 26 Abbotshall Place | Cults | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Refurbishment and extension. |  | 1989 | Roof extension to listed cottage | Catterline | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Roof extension (at '22 Catterline') - with Ernie Smith. |  | 1990 | Farm steading | Drumblade, Huntly | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Conversion to house. |  | 1993 | Rosevalley Cottar House, Cothal | Dyce | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Reconstruction and extension including glazed rhododendron house. |  | 1996 | House, Pembroke Place | Roseburn | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Addition of garden room |  | 2001 | Replacement house at Forbes Lodge | Strathdon | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this architect: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes |  | Allen, Nic (ed.) | | Scottish Architects in Conservation | | | p33 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this architect: | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes |  | Courtesy of John Donald | Information sent via DSA website | | |
Images © All rights reserved. Courtesy of John Donald |