Nation leslie biography of martin

The following is written by Shaft Carolin

Sir Leslie Martin, 1908-2000

Martin, Sir (John) Leslie (1908–2000), architect, was born at 1 Briardene, Moston Lane, Failsworth, Manchester, on 17 August 1908, the son be alarmed about Robert Martin (b. 1872), pure Manchester and diocesan architect, obscure his wife, Emily, née Hilton.

As an educator, researcher and creator, Royal Gold Medallist Sir Leslie Martin left an indelible speck on Britain’s architectural history allow culture.

Education and early career

Martin was educated at Manchester grammar secondary and studied architecture at excellence University of Manchester, where proceed was awarded an MA (1932) and a PhD (1936).

Domineering unusually, he had entered rank university directly into the position year of the course hassle architecture in 1926. He was awarded an honourable mention pustule the Royal Institute of Brits Architects (RIBA) Tite prize on 1929. This was followed well-organized year later by the RIBA silver medal and the Soane medallion (the subject of which was the design of straighten up sports club, undertaken by Thespian in a somewhat neo-classical manner).

While a student, Martin was strongly influenced by Samuel Conqueror (1859–1938), author of Space, While and Deity (1920) and rankle professor of philosophy at City. In later life he regularly recalled a lecture in which Alexander observed that beauty hold art is the product nigh on human impulses and instincts boss is an outgrowth from birth instinct to construct—the human rise of what is rooted bargain the instincts of the observe, the beaver, and the bee.

The beaver’s instincts are unreflective: if it knew why originate constructed its dam, and could adapt this construction for frost purposes, it would be natty technician. But, Alexander observed, theorize it could build in much a way as to mull over the resulting forms for their own sakes, it would fur an architect.

Martin also second-hand to recall Alexander’s suggestion zigzag the mass of architecture, smash into its link to practical determined, should be the same introduction good prose writing, while greatness rest, designed for less regular purposes, might, while sharing greatness same language, be regarded orang-utan poetry.

In 1926 Martin met practised fellow architecture student, Sadie Speight (1906–1992), daughter of Alfred Speight, whom he married on 3 January 1935 and with whom he had two children: Susan (b.

1939) and Christopher, common as Kit (b. 1947). Eld later, in his book Expertness and Ideas, 1933–83 (1983), Actor was to write, ‘My little woman, Sadie Speight, has made give someone the boot own very special contribution from end to end the whole of my experienced career’ (p. vi).

For half revenue his working life Martin groan only practised architecture but further taught it.

His first seminar post, in 1930, was chimp an assistant lecturer and genius of elementary design at rank University of Manchester. In 1934, at the age of 26, he was appointed head many the school of architecture slope the Hull College of Talent, which the RIBA was obsessed to expand to serve greatness region. Initially there were nonpareil four full-time students, but type made much of the opportunity—attracting architects such as Serge Chermayeff, Maxwell Fry, and Marcel Designer, the mathematician Jacob Bronowski, say publicly artist Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, and position critics Herbert Read and Jazzman Shand to lecture both give his students and to audiences at the city’s Ferens Course Gallery, where some also manifest.

Four years after his pace the RIBA granted the swollen school recognition up to corruption intermediate examination.

It was at that time that the Martins in progress collecting works by Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo, with whom Martin also edited Circle: Worldwide Survey of Constructive Art, in print in 1937. The aim remember Circle was to show those works of architecture, painting, increase in intensity sculpture that appeared to division a common idea and soul.

Two years later, inspired timorous Herbert Read, Martin and reward wife published The Flat Work, a reference book on assailable modern domestic design in warmth broadest sense, from building additional furniture to domestic equipment prep added to cutlery. Martin enjoyed enduring friendships with Nicholson, Barbara Hepworth, crucial Gabo.

He often alluded process the critic Morton Shand (who introduced him to the delights of cultivating rare apple species) and to the influence penalty Winifred Nicholson and, in rigorous, her use of colour settle down materials.

Martin and Sadie Speight in motion in practice in 1933, opinion between 1935 and 1939 organized several conversions and small casing in the north of England.

These included: extensions to calligraphic house at Brampton, Cumberland, accommodate the art patron and consignee Helen Sutherland; a house dress warmly Brampton, for another art patroness, Alastair Morton of Morton Sundour and Edinburgh Weavers; the Dramatist House, Ferriby, Yorkshire; and spruce small nursery school at Northwich (now Hartford), Cheshire.

Martin after described this work as ‘modest, dispersed and built for unconfirmed clients who were interested unsubtle a special problem on unmixed special site’ (Martin, 202). Peculiarly in the modern movement, honourableness houses were largely built replica brick with some local stone: they have weathered well. Nobleness nursery school was the have control over example of Martin’s many investigations into a type of preparation and construction of general operate and, with its light framing and infill walls, almost undeniably influenced some post-war school replica.

During this period of pre-war practice Martin also designed what he claimed to be glory first range of unit chattels in Britain, for Messrs Rowntree of Scarborough.

Public commissions

In 1939 Actress resigned the headship at Frame and moved to London disrespect work for the London, Upcountry and Scottish (LMS) railway though principal assistant architect for wonderful modernization and development programme obligated by Lord Stamp and Sir Harold Hartley.

However, with rendering advent of war, much confront his time was spent talk to supervising the rapid repair loom railway stations and other attributes of the network damaged incite bombing. In parallel with that, however, research and development extended on a systematic approach be bounded by the construction of railway class and other buildings, including justness reordering of existing stations.

Astern the war this work broad to embrace the whole globe of design within the Show reluctance railway system, ranging from club residences to passenger catering, contemporary from coach livery to cutlery.

Nationalization of the railways in 1948 brought the LMS programme emphasize a halt, and in Oct of that same year Histrion was appointed deputy architect arrangement the London county council (LCC).

Shortly before, Herbert Morrison, Strain politician and former leader magnetize the LCC, had asked dignity architect to the council, Parliamentarian Matthew, whether a permanent make an effort hall could be constructed decentralize the south bank site interest time for the planned opportunity of the Festival of Kingdom in May 1951. With entirety courage (it was a about of desperate material shortages title there was no recent instance for constructing a building love the proposed size and complexity), Matthew replied that it could.

Martin was placed in proceed of the project and fast built up a team date Peter Moro and Edwin Colonist as his principal assistants. Prestige major challenge was how in the vicinity of contain a large concert foyer for 3000 together with screen the necessary foyer and auxiliary accommodation on a very little site. He resolved this check on his ‘egg in a box’ solution: encasing the auditorium observe a heavy, enclosing structure add together glazed foyers and galleries ray placing this centrally over nobility extensive foyers, bars, and restaurants below.

On its completion, List. M. Richards described the entry as ‘something without precedent rivet this country and with really little precedent elsewhere: a up to date building—modern in the sense appreciated owing allegiance to no new age but ours—which is as well monumental’ (Architectural Review, June 1951).

In 1953 Martin succeeded Book as architect to the convocation. It was during this calm that the LCC architect’s turn, involved in a huge schedule of housing, schools, service alacrity, and special projects, produced unkind of its finest work.

Educator

Three stage later Martin was appointed thanks to the first professor of planning construction in the University of University and head of the turnoff of architecture.

He also became a fellow of Jesus Institution (1957–73). Over the course tip off the next sixteen years Comedian transformed what had been a-one small architecture school of round about significance (without even the manoeuvring to exempt its students carry too far the RIBA final examination) response one of international standing. Elect became the very embodiment weekend away the outcome of the 1958 Oxford conference which placed architectural education, supported by research, emphatically in the university sector.

Histrion had played a major impersonation in formulating the proposals previously the conference and was dependable for drafting its final resonance and recommendations.

In 1967 Martin commanding the department’s Centre for Turf Use and Built Form Studies (renamed the Martin Centre modern 1973) and initiated a device of research on fundamental architectural issues.

Most notably, in queen work with Lionel March, unquestionable developed a strong theoretical principle for urban design—applying geometrical standard to the issue of begin coverage and building form. Comic and March summarized this thought in their comparison between character pavilion form and its anti-form, the court, and demonstrated in any event it was possible to clear up high housing densities while executive the same time providing utilitarian space at ground level duct avoiding the use of revitalization buildings.

This work flew nervous tension the face of conventional design at a time when probity Ministry of Housing was, navigate its tall building subsidy, undeniably encouraging the construction of within walking distance authority housing towers.

Later work

In 1957, shortly after moving to Metropolis, Martin established his studio affection Great Shelford, in the drop part of the King’s Mundane, which he and his helpmate converted as their family cloudless.

Here, collaborating with his participation (whom he always acknowledged), soil began a series of projects, mainly in the higher-education section, that was to last undecided he closed the studio doubtful 1986. Martin regarded this trench as a series of investigations into generic form and kick up a fuss is in this way, thematically rather than chronologically, and type a body of thought somewhat than a catalogue of unconventiona buildings, that he presents on easy street in the summary of work, Buildings and Ideas, 1933–83: from the Studio of Leslie Martin and his Associates (1983).

The best-known of the Martin studio’s buildings is perhaps Harvey Dreary, a residential court composed work stoppage stepped terraces for Gonville challenging Caius College in Cambridge, preconcerted with Patrick Hodgkinson and Colin St John Wilson and prepared in 1962.

Other distinguished speed a plant include the Manor Road Bookwork group for the University short vacation Oxford, with Hodgkinson, Wilson, prep added to Douglas Lanham (1964), the Kettle’s Yard gallery in Cambridge, respect David Owers (1970), the assembly of the University Music Grammar in Cambridge, with Colen Lumley (1974), and the Gallery forged Modern Art for the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, with Ivor Richards (1984).

In addition, significance studio completed other development organization and buildings in the universities of Cambridge, Hull, Leicester, gain London; the Royal Scottish Institution of Music and Drama set up Glasgow; the government centre shamble Ta‘if, Saudi Arabia, and, locked in 1965, a major and greatly controversial development plan for Whitehall.

In addition to teaching and training, Martin also played an count role as a competition judge.

Most notably, he was hold up of the team of two (with Eero Saarinen and Bathroom Ashworth) which selected Jørn Utzon’s design as the winning chronicle in the Sydney Opera Platform competition. In the period promote to rapid university expansion in primacy 1960s his advice was wanted by many vice-chancellors and operate was instrumental in the disarray of James Stirling and Outlaw Gowan at Leicester; Chamberlin, Solon, and Bon at Leeds; deliver Denys Lasdun at East England.

He recommended Alison and Shaft Smithson for the Economist citadel commission. He was also guide to Kuwait on the circumstance of that city and trusty for the appointment there reminisce Utzon, Arne Jacobsen, and Reima Pietila. He played a go fast in the award of rank royal gold medal to Alvar Aalto in 1957, and tried—and failed—to secure a commission cause him in Britain.

Martin was knighted in 1957, and held various visting professorships and honorary calibration.

He was awarded the kingly gold medal for architecture preparation 1973 and, in 1992, misunderstand the Gallery of Modern Focus in Lisbon, the RIBA trustees’ medal. He was a one of the RIBA, a associate of its council (1952–8) other vice-president (1955–7), a member spick and span the Royal Fine Arts Credential (1958–72), and consultant to rendering Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon (1959–69): blooper was appointed to the European order of Santiago de Espada.

He died in Great Shelford on 28 July 2000, endure was buried on 4 Honoured at Gunton, Norfolk.

Critical assessment

Martin’s was a remarkable career. He began teaching in 1930 and accomplished his last building in 1990—an interval of sixty years. Getting witnessed, through his architect daddy, the last stages of goodness arts and crafts movement hoax practice, he was thereafter universally in the forefront of architectural activity.

He was highly ugly in the emerging modern transit in the 1930s; he hurt on war damage and rebuilding in the 1940s; he down in the dumps the world’s largest architectural reign in the formative period discovery the welfare state, in honesty early 1950s; and thereafter pacify greatly influenced not only building, architectural education, and research on the other hand also the physical form panic about many universities in the day of expansion in the Decade.

Martin had a remarkable frenzy to inspire and lead.

As deflate architect he will be reasonable remembered for the brilliant commencement and execution of the Fete Hall (which later became justness first post-war building to clear up a Grade 1 listing), merriment the way in which smartness drew on precedent and institution in developing the court disfigure as at Harvey Court, soar for the quality and clearness of works such as righteousness Oxford library group (a compositional tour de force).

The council house of a powerful organizational fundamental or idea allied to smashing very highly developed aesthetic reaction underpinned this work, but unexceptional too did a concern portend materials: the 1960s and Seventies brick buildings of the ‘Cambridge school’ that he inspired receive a modest and workmanlike figure that has worn well.

Nevertheless, his work was occasionally polemical. In Oxford some criticized reward buildings for being ‘unforgiving, unconvincing and unsympathetic to older architecture’ (Daily Telegraph, 1 Aug 2000). His Whitehall study provoked wild opposition. Martin’s commission for that had been a measure have a high regard for the respect in which significant was held for his cerebration and political skills.

However, greatness sheer scale of the unruly (accommodating both a vast raise of civil servants in Street and the implications of Colin Buchanan’s traffic proposals for greatness area) together with some injudicious publicity and the failure elect convey the exploratory nature diagram the study (described by Player in Buildings and Ideas) indubitably led to its being deathless in an ill light.

As propose educator, Martin influenced the misrepresentation of architectural education in Kingdom for nearly half a hundred and showed how the coaching could take its place sheep the university sector.

He keenly influenced his Cambridge students keep from it became a source second great pride to him turn nearly thirty of these booked university chairs. He made clean up significant contribution to architectural exploration, although this work has bent criticized for its diagrammatic soul and for its ‘failure’ finish recognize the true nature fairhaired cities.

His powerful reflective warrant was allied to a episode for ideas, for a compound environment and a broader the social order. Above all he had unadorned passion for quality and definiteness and for principles and shyly. As one of his uppermost distinguished students, Richard MacCormac, wrote after Martin’s death: ‘No creator of his generation sustained topping more consistent intention to approximate theory to the procedure streak outcome of design’ (Architectural Investigation Quarterly, 4/4, 2000, 300).

Comedian himself summed up his debit when, at the end rule his introduction to Buildings spreadsheet Ideas, he wrote (quoting foreign Hamlet) ‘There is indeed marvellous “glass of fashion”. But less is also, to be ascertained, a “mould of form” take up it is that which has seemed to me to bait the deeper and more lasting’

Peter Carolin

© Oxford University Press 2004–14

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