Basic Biographical Details

Name: Percy Johnson-Marshall & Associates
Designation:  
Born: 1960
Died: c. 1990
Bio Notes: Percy Johnson-Marshall & Associates was formed in 1960 by Percy Johnson-Marshall (brother of Robert Matthew’s partner, Stirrat Johnson-Marshall). Percy, who had previously worked with Robert Matthew in the Planning Division at London County Council, moved from London to Edinburgh to take up a lecturing post in Edinburgh University. As part of his agreement with Percy, Matthew shut down the small planning arm of Robert Matthew Johnson-Marshall & Associates’ (RMJM) Edinburgh office and transferred the staff to Percy, allowing him to set up his own planning consultancy with a healthy dowry of existing projects. Matthew also provided Percy and his family with a large home (Bella Vista) in the picturesque Edinburgh suburb of Duddingston. This home was used as the base for his practice.

In the early 1960s, Percy Johnson-Marshall & Associates were involved at the planning stage of almost all RMJM urban projects. Many of these projects were based around Edinburgh University, including the Edinburgh University masterplan. Also in conjunction with RMJM, Percy and his team were involved in Sir Robert Matthew’s extensive work in Northern Ireland, both as planning consultants on the Belfast Regional Plan and as author of the Coleraine-Portrush-Portstewart Area Plan (while Matthew handled the design for the New University of Ulster in Coleraine). Percy’s team also advised on planning matters for Matthew’s Administrative Sector Plan in Islamabad, Pakistan.

By 1964, although the close integration with RMJM was fading, with Percy’s growing academic interests in Edinburgh University, the Bella Vista team were engaged in a number of even more ambitious new projects on their own account, including the planning of a multilevel complex for Halifax, Nova Scotia and an ambitious Ł22m redevelopment of an 87-acre site in Salford.

Although Percy maintained good relations with the RMJM’s Edinburgh office, headed up by Robert Matthew, at times relations became strained with the practice’s London arm, led by his brother Stirrat Johnson-Marshall. This happened once when one of Percy’s staff, George Duncan, was recruited by the London RMJM team for a planning study for Central Lancashire (Preston/Leyland) New Town, meaning that Percy lost the job to RMJM London. Percy was also suspicious of Stirrat encouraging confusion over the Johnson-Marshall name in order to siphon off planning consultancy work.

In the RIBA Directory for 1975 besides the work listed the practice undertool public enquiry work for Great Western Road, Glasgow, Edinburgh Airport, KIlmarnock CPO as well as a site feasibility for the NLS and a regional plan for Porto Portugal for the DGSV.

See also entries for Percy Johnson-Marshall & Partners and Percy Johnson Marshall Architects.

Employment and Training

Employees or Pupils

The following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details):
 NameDate fromDate toPositionNotes
Item 1 of 5Trevor Ferguson Sprott  Planner 
Item 2 of 5Percy Edwin Alan Johnson-Marshall1960 Partner 
Item 3 of 5Jan-Krzysztof (Krys) Buczynski1962 Planner 
Item 4 of 5Richard Thomas BigwoodEarly 1960s   
Item 5 of 5George DuncanEarly 1960s   

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 151960sAdministrative Sector Plan  IslamabadPakistan 
Item 2 of 151960sBathgate Town Centre CDABathgate West LothianScotland 
Item 3 of 151960sDarnick land use and traffic surveyMelrose RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 4 of 151960sDoxford Park, residential layout and house typesDoxford Park SunderlandEngland 
Item 5 of 151960sKelso land use and traffic surveyKelso RoxburghshireScotland 
Item 6 of 151960sKenton Bank development planKenton Bank Newcastle-upon-TyneEngland 
Item 7 of 151960sKilmarnock town centre plan, CDA, town expansion study and 20 year road network proposalKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 8 of 151960sSilksworth township centre planSilksworth SunderlandEngland 
Item 9 of 151960sSt Clement's area pilot report  OxfordEngland 
Item 10 of 151961University of Edinburgh, development plan  EdinburghScotland 
Item 11 of 151972Kilmarnock Bus StationKilmarnock AyrshireScotland 
Item 12 of 151972Kilmarnock town centre plan, CDA, town expansion study and 20 year road network proposalKilmarnock AyrshireScotlandDevelopment in Foregate
Item 13 of 15Before 1975Ouston  County DurhamEngland 
Item 14 of 151980University of Edinburgh, Medical School and McEwan Hall  EdinburghScotlandPaving of forecourt to E
Item 15 of 15c. 1966Coleraine-Portrush-Portstewart Area Plan   Northern IrelandPercy Johnson-Marshall and his team responsible for development of Area Plan for RMJM

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this :
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4Glendinning, Miles2008Modern architect: the life and times of Robert Matthew RIBA Publishingpp288-9, 292-3, 329, 340, 342-3, 415, 444
Item 2 of 4Miles Glendinning, Diane Watters, David Whitham Docomomo Scotland Leaflet  p226, p229 Edinburgh University redvelopment, George Square
Item 3 of 4RIBA1970RIBA Directory 1970   
Item 4 of 4RIBA1975RIBA Directory of practices   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this :
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1Builder10 July 1964  p57