Middlesex County Council
The Middlesex County Council Architects department was created at the turn of the 20th century, mainly to design and build schools and hospitals. The buildings they created up to the outbreak of the First World War were generally Edwardian Baroque, with a move to a more subdued classicism after 1918. In 1930 W.T. Curtis became head of the department, with the Wall Street crash and subsequent world financial crisis coming one year later. This event forced a change in the departments’ designs in order to cut costs. Aiming to reduce spending by 30%, Curtis and his assistant H.W. Burchett adopted a more modernist utilitarian approach to school building. Their first innovations were using steel framing at Uxendon Manor School, Wembley (1934), and then concrete slab floors supported by pillars at Pinner Park School (1934).
Their schools often featured long low horizontal buildings, balanced with central staircase towers, usually featuring a caretakers apartment. This tower motif was clearly influenced by the work of Dutch architect W.M Dudok and his school at Hilversum. Some of their school designs are now listed such as De Bohun in Enfield and Lady Bankes in Ruislip. Alongside schools, the department designed clinics, swimming pools, libraries and hospitals all over the county.
Curtis’ predecessor as County Architect, C.G. Stillman continued their progressive programme between 1946 and 1959. Stillman was hugely influential in the design of post war school building, using industrialized methods of school construction and design. Stillman was replaced by H. Whitfield Lewis, who led the department until the abolition of the county council in 1965.
Featured Buildings: Belmont School, Bowes Road Clinic, Caretakers House, Chandos School, Copthall School, Cranford Park School, De Bohun School, Enfield Tech College, Friern Barnet Clinic, Glebe School, Grange Park School, Grimsdyke School, Heathfield School, Honeypot Lane Clinic, Kenmore Park School, Kenton Library, Lady Bankes School, Mellow Lane School, Northwood School, Oak Farm Clinic, Oakington Manor School, Oliver Goldsmith School, Pinner Wood School, Priestmead School, Roxbourne School, Ruislip Gardens School, Stag Lane School, Stanburn School
See Also-Forgotten But Not Gone: Curtis and Burchett
Their schools often featured long low horizontal buildings, balanced with central staircase towers, usually featuring a caretakers apartment. This tower motif was clearly influenced by the work of Dutch architect W.M Dudok and his school at Hilversum. Some of their school designs are now listed such as De Bohun in Enfield and Lady Bankes in Ruislip. Alongside schools, the department designed clinics, swimming pools, libraries and hospitals all over the county.
Curtis’ predecessor as County Architect, C.G. Stillman continued their progressive programme between 1946 and 1959. Stillman was hugely influential in the design of post war school building, using industrialized methods of school construction and design. Stillman was replaced by H. Whitfield Lewis, who led the department until the abolition of the county council in 1965.
Featured Buildings: Belmont School, Bowes Road Clinic, Caretakers House, Chandos School, Copthall School, Cranford Park School, De Bohun School, Enfield Tech College, Friern Barnet Clinic, Glebe School, Grange Park School, Grimsdyke School, Heathfield School, Honeypot Lane Clinic, Kenmore Park School, Kenton Library, Lady Bankes School, Mellow Lane School, Northwood School, Oak Farm Clinic, Oakington Manor School, Oliver Goldsmith School, Pinner Wood School, Priestmead School, Roxbourne School, Ruislip Gardens School, Stag Lane School, Stanburn School
See Also-Forgotten But Not Gone: Curtis and Burchett