London County Council & Greater London Council Architects Departments
The architects departments of the London County Council and its successor the Greater London Council were responsible for the planning, designing and building of huge areas of the the capital. From 1889, when the LCC was founded, to 1986, when the GLC was abolished, the authority built swathes of housing, as well as a large number of other projects such as schools, hospitals, refuse centers, engineering projects and much else. The authorities architects department also provided a training ground for much of 20th century British architecture, with designers like Peter Aldington, John Partridge, Oliver Cox, Peter Moro, Edward Hollamby, John Bancroft and Ron Herron, among many many others, starting out with the municipal authority.
Robert Hogg Matthew was the LCC’s first post war chief architect, and was faced the task of rebuilding large parts of the capital damaged during the war. Leslie Martin was Matthews deputy then replacement as chief architect, a time that also saw both plan the Festival of Britain, with martin designing the Royal Festival Hall. When in Martin left in 1956, he was replaced by Hubert Bennett, who led the department until 1970. This era was the height of municipal design and building, and Bennett's department (who became part of the GLC in 1965), built a number of projects in this time from the Thamesmead estate to the Hayward Gallery. However the creation of the London boroughs in 1965 allowed councils like Camden and Haringey much greater planning and building powers.
Sir Roger Walters took over in 1971, and in his time as chief architect saw through a number of projects such as the Covent Garden redevelopment and the creation of the Thames barrier. Walter was succeeded in 1978 by Fred Pooley, and then Peter Jones until the GLC was abolished in 1986. The architects departments of these two bodies built a huge range of buildings throughout the capital during its history, from housing to schools to fire stations to large scale engineering projects, the LCC & GLC created a huge part of modern day London.
Buildings: Bethnal Green Fire Station, Brandon Estate, Canada Estate, Hayward Gallery, Homerton Fire Station, London College of Communication, Loughborough Road Estate, Perronet House, Poplar Fire Station, Royal Festival Hall, Shoreditch Fire Station
See Also: LCC/GLC Mini Guide, Alton Estate Mini Guide
The architects departments of the London County Council and its successor the Greater London Council were responsible for the planning, designing and building of huge areas of the the capital. From 1889, when the LCC was founded, to 1986, when the GLC was abolished, the authority built swathes of housing, as well as a large number of other projects such as schools, hospitals, refuse centers, engineering projects and much else. The authorities architects department also provided a training ground for much of 20th century British architecture, with designers like Peter Aldington, John Partridge, Oliver Cox, Peter Moro, Edward Hollamby, John Bancroft and Ron Herron, among many many others, starting out with the municipal authority.
Robert Hogg Matthew was the LCC’s first post war chief architect, and was faced the task of rebuilding large parts of the capital damaged during the war. Leslie Martin was Matthews deputy then replacement as chief architect, a time that also saw both plan the Festival of Britain, with martin designing the Royal Festival Hall. When in Martin left in 1956, he was replaced by Hubert Bennett, who led the department until 1970. This era was the height of municipal design and building, and Bennett's department (who became part of the GLC in 1965), built a number of projects in this time from the Thamesmead estate to the Hayward Gallery. However the creation of the London boroughs in 1965 allowed councils like Camden and Haringey much greater planning and building powers.
Sir Roger Walters took over in 1971, and in his time as chief architect saw through a number of projects such as the Covent Garden redevelopment and the creation of the Thames barrier. Walter was succeeded in 1978 by Fred Pooley, and then Peter Jones until the GLC was abolished in 1986. The architects departments of these two bodies built a huge range of buildings throughout the capital during its history, from housing to schools to fire stations to large scale engineering projects, the LCC & GLC created a huge part of modern day London.
Buildings: Bethnal Green Fire Station, Brandon Estate, Canada Estate, Hayward Gallery, Homerton Fire Station, London College of Communication, Loughborough Road Estate, Perronet House, Poplar Fire Station, Royal Festival Hall, Shoreditch Fire Station
See Also: LCC/GLC Mini Guide, Alton Estate Mini Guide