Denys Lasdun 1924-2001
Denys Lasdun was born in Kensington on 8th September 1914. He studied at the Architectural Association, before working for Wells Coates practice where he designed 32 Newton Road for painter F.J. Conway. He also worked for Berthold Lubetkin’s Tecton practice and took over the Hallfield Estate design with Lindsay Drake after Tecton’s disbandment. Drake and Lasdun went into partnership with Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew and produced a number of apartment blocks for Bethnal Green UDC using a cluster block design on buildings such as Sulkin House.
From 1959 Lasdun went into practice by himself and produced a series of buildings that defined British post war modernism. These include the flats in St. James Place (1960), the Royal College of Physicians (1964) and his various university buildings, like the University of East Anglia (1962-69) and University College London (1970-76). His most famous building is of course the National Theatre on the South Bank, a controversial project that took 13 years to complete and was compared by Prince Charles to a nuclear power station. Lasdun completed only a few more projects after the National Theatre, such as the neighbouring IBM Centre. Lasdun was knighted in 1976, and passed away in 2001.
Featured Buildings: Fitzwilliam College, Montague Burtons, New Court, Royal College of Physicians
See Also: White Heat 1964, Denys Lasdun Mini Guide, LCC/GLC Mini Guide
From 1959 Lasdun went into practice by himself and produced a series of buildings that defined British post war modernism. These include the flats in St. James Place (1960), the Royal College of Physicians (1964) and his various university buildings, like the University of East Anglia (1962-69) and University College London (1970-76). His most famous building is of course the National Theatre on the South Bank, a controversial project that took 13 years to complete and was compared by Prince Charles to a nuclear power station. Lasdun completed only a few more projects after the National Theatre, such as the neighbouring IBM Centre. Lasdun was knighted in 1976, and passed away in 2001.
Featured Buildings: Fitzwilliam College, Montague Burtons, New Court, Royal College of Physicians
See Also: White Heat 1964, Denys Lasdun Mini Guide, LCC/GLC Mini Guide