Basic Biographical Details Name: | Bernard Vincent Kenneth Cottier | Designation: | | Born: | 14 October 1925(?) | Died: | 25 October 2015 | Bio Notes: | Bernard Vincent Kenneth Cottier (‘Ken’) was born on 14 October 1925 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. He began his training at Burslem School of Art in 1944 and subsequently studied through an Andrew Grant Scholarship at Edinburgh College of Art. His training was interrupted by National Service which was spent with the Royal Engineers at the Survey Training Centre, Longleat. He returned to College, qualifying in 1952, and was elected ARIBA and ARIAS in 1953. During the course he was awarded a scholarship for the study of Swedish architecture in 1949 and served as an Edinburgh representative on the British School at Rome Archaeological survey of Leptis Magna in Tripoli. He received an Honourable mention in the RIAS Rowand Anderson prize in 1952 and was awarded an Andrew Grant Travelling Scholarship to study in Scandinavia.
Cottier’s first post after qualification was with Midlothian County Council, moving to the Department of Health for Scotland Housing Research Unit, but returning to Midlothian where he became Principal Assistant in 1958. He was short-listed for Angus County Architect post in December 1959. However he remained with Midlothian and was appointed Deputy Architect for Education in 1963 and Midlothian County Architect the following year. He was elected FRIAS in 1965.
He was responsible for a wide range of work including substantial education, housing, social work, industrial and police building programmes. He was involved in planning the amalgamation of the separate counties of West and East Lothian and Midlothian in to Lothian Regional in 1975. He was the first Director of Architectural Services with responsibility for all main local authority building works, except for housing up to his retirement in 1982.
Cottier served on a variety of committees in connection with his profession. He was President of the EAA from 1969 to 1971 (his tenure of the post giving him a greater understanding of the relationship between the professions and the isolated position the architect can often find himself in due to his conflicting responsibilities), a Governor of Edinburgh College of Art from 1968 to 1970, Chairman of The Scottish Country, City and Burgh Architects Joint Association and Chairman of the RIAS Committee on Reorganisation of Local Government in 1975.
He was particularly pleased by the significant role played by the EAA in the conservation of Georgian Edinburgh. A team of over 200 architects, surveyors, engineers photographers and others carried out a survey of the external fabric of about 5,000 properties in the New Town over a two-year period on behalf of the Scottish Civic Trust. A conference committee was formed, chaired by Sir Robert Matthew. The survey played an important role in decisions taken at the major New Town conference in Edinburgh in June 1970.
As a person Cottier was modest and unassuming. He retired to Dunkeld and died on 25 October 2015.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 28, Pilrig Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1953 * | | | | 43, Eastfield, Joppa, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1955 | After 1965 | | | 6, Hope Place, Levenhall, Musselburgh, East Lothian|Midlothian, Scotland | Private | 1970 | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
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 | | 1964 | New Craigshill School | Livingston | | Midlothian/West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1967 | Craigshill Secondary School | Livingston | | West Lothian | Scotland | As county architect |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | RIBA | 1964 | The RIBA Kalendar 1964-65 | | | | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | | | RIBA | 1979 | Directory of members | | | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 11 December 1959 | | | 'Angus County Architect' p878 | | Builder | 11 September 1964 | | | p571 | | RIAS Quarterly | 2016 | Spring | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | |
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