Newsletter

From the Master

Issue 3 - February 2006

As Master of a young company, it was salutary to attend the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Butchers Company, complete with original James I charter on show. As a Company of modest means it was also salutary to help the Furniture Makers open their first hall, in which they entertained us all after our rousing joint Carol Service. I have been at Parish Clerks, Horners, Marketors, Surveyors and Masons Companies events, the prizegiving at Guildhall for the City of London School and robed with all other Masters for the degree ceremony of the City University. Masters planted crosses in the Garden of Remembrance at St Paul's and most of them celebrated New Year at St Martin's, Cornhill. We started our year with my reception at Christ Church Spitalfields, when project architect Red Mason helped us to wonder at this 30 year transformation. I'm glad to tell you that attendees can claim an hour's RIBA CPD: the Institute confirms that all our events with educational content can be put towards your annual tally, without need of paperwork. I don't think the Lord Mayors Show counts however. We featured this year, even making some airtime on BBC 1. I commissioned a splendid Company tricorn hat (see picture) to give suitable gravity to this and future shows. David Brewer and I, who met regularly in

our local Waitrose before his elevation, compared notes on techniques for waving tricorn hats without losing grip on them. The Lord Mayor also instructed and entertained all Masters and Clerks at his annual briefing on the correct form for toasts and national anthem use at dinners. The hurricane season does not usually hit London, but it prevented Professor Isabel Rigol from flying to give us her talk on Cuban architecture at the RIBA. Skilful negotiation has reinstated her trip for April and she will attend our Court Lunch on April 24 then lecture on April 27th, as well as lecturing in Leeds at the invitation of Jaki Howes. Guests of Honour at our our April lunch at Dyers Hall will be the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. They are abroad at the time of our Livery Banquet but have made time to honour us with their attendance. The Teambuild Weekend is a splendid multi-discipline training event that the Institution of Civil Engineers runs and where the Company gives a prize for contract strategy. Teams of 4-6 graduates from across the construction professions spend two days, and nights, working at breakneck pace right through a realistic project, being judged and mentored by senior professionals as they go. I was hugely impressed by the enthusiasm and skill of the leading teams. More young architects need to go in for it

however; they would gain a lot and see just how vital they are. One team that did well had no architect member! The company's prize was won by 6IX, a team entirely from Buro Happold. (picture of the Master and the Master Constructor with the winning teams)
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We held joint events with the City Architecture Forum, which I chair, visiting Duke of York Square, Chelsea, and debating 'Is Glass Dead?' at Moorhouse with Ken Shuttleworth, Neven Sidor and two leading sustainability engineers. At Duke of York Square we also saw Vision05, the exhibition of Art by Architects which Past Master Brian Waters helped to arrange. The Company gave a prize for best painting, presented by Will Alsop, which went to Chris Sayers, a former partner of mine. I had no say in the matter! I did have a say in the New City Architecture Award which we judged on January 18th with the help of Paul Finch and Frank Duffy. We will show the shortlist at the Milo Lecture on February 22nd and announce the winner at the Banquet on March 27th. At the banquet, I'm glad to say that our principal guest will now be George Ferguson, the eloquent immediate Past President of the RIBA, after the unavoidable withdrawal of Sir Michael Latham. My Milo Lecture is now titled "The future of the architectural profession: a question of values". The good reception for my report for Constructing Excellence," Be Valuable", and for Bob White's report to the RIBA on Constructive Change, have led me to a thesis on resolving the split personality of the architect: artist and professional. Can their values coexist? Do come and hear me shake the tree. Tickets are from adam.williamson@inst.riba.org . The tours, to Lyon and to Chicago and Pittsburgh/ Fallingwater, will be sufficiently supported to happen. Add your name before the lists close. We have begun explorations with the City on widening the franchise of the Company, to enable us to draw on a larger pool of people. As the RIBA is widening its membership, so there is every reason for us to embrace those who it accepts as affiliates or honorary members. We hope that the City will be receptive. Have a wonderful 2006! Your Master of the moment, Richard

are the lack of suitable contractors for much of the construction work and her inherited email address which is sue.best@dumgal.gov.uk.. On behalf of the Court, the Master expressed thanks for her contribution during the time she has served as an Assistant and satisfaction that she is to continue in her role as Clerk to the Charitable Trust. The Court was also pleased to note the election to the Freedom of five new members of the Company. Richard Brindley (Director of Pratice at the RIBA), Karen Rogers (an Associate at BDP), Philip Lancashire (a Principal in an Islington based practice), Peter McMullan-Bell (a partner in Yeoman McAllisters City Office) and Azar Djamali (a City based architect and urban designer). It is hoped that they will all be admitted to the Freedom at the April meeting of the Court. Reports were given of the New City Architecture Award 2005 judging and of the award of the Stuart Murphy Scholarship at the City of London School for Boys. As noted by the Master, a decision was taken to progress the possible enlargement of the Companys membership base. The Court was delighted to receive a generous bequest to the Charitable Trust Fund from the estate of Noel Hill such gestures are greatly appreciated as they do much to help the Trustees make more generous sums available to disbursement to the agreed charitable and educational causes. The Fund had also benefitted from its share of the proceeds of the Inter Livery Ball held last year .

Recent Events
The Master has referred to the joint reception with members of the City Architecture Forum and of the London Chapter of the AIA which was held at The Left Wing Gallery on 29 November. This was an enjoyable occasion and a good opportunity to offer support to the ABS while learning something of what was seen to be an excellent comercial development from the architect whose practice was responsible - Paul Davis. The Annual Carol Service at St Mary-le-Bow Church featured, as always, some excellent music and a rousing sermon from Rev George Bush. The Furniture Makers Company, with whom we share the service, invited those present back to supper in their new Hall in Austin Friars. It was fortunate that bookings were slightly down on the previous year as there would not have been space for any extra takers - best put the date of next years event Wednesday 13 December in your diaries now. 2

News from the Court

The January meeting of the Court is traditionally a quiet one which allows the opportunity to review the events for the coming year and to reassess the Companys various activities. Members were sad to lose Sue Best from the Court - she had asked to be relieved of her role as an Assistant in the light of her relocation north of the border. She has taken up a post as head of the Architectural Services Department for Dumfries and Galloway Council and is doing her utmost to restructure the organization she has inherited. The downsides that she has so far recognized

Coming Company Events

The Peter Milo Memorial Lecture is to be given by the Master on Wednesday 22 February at the RIBA. The admission cost is 10 (8 for concessions). A further copy of the calling notice accompanies this newsletter. As the Master will be welcoming a number of his fellow Masters, it is hoped that there will be a good representation from the Company to hear views that go to the heart of the debate about the future of the profession. In their roles as Chairman and Hon Secretary of the City Architecture Forum The Master and Chris Howell are keen to encourage members to join with CAF at thier annual Dinner Debate on Wednesday 1 March.. Entitled Smithfield Meets Crossrail - the irresisitable force meets the immovable object the debate will feature Sir Terry Farrell and Alan Baxter among others. The function is to be at Butchers Hall - further details are available from Chris Howell on 020 8886 9577. The Annual Livery Banquet at the Mansion House will be held on Monday 27 March. The Immediate Past President of the RIBA - George Ferguson - will be the Principal Guest - he may have something entertaining to say about his televised proposals to have deeply unpopular buildings demolished. A further copy of the calling notice is attached. In the absence of the Clerk for the next several weeks, these should be returned to Alan Downing. The Clerk will issue tickets on his return. The United Guilds Service at St Pauls Cathedral will be held on Friday 31 March. The Company has been offered a restricted number of seats and early application is recommended for those wishing to attend this memorable occasion which sees the Civic Party including all Aldermen and the Masters of all Companies processing in their robes. The service will be followed by a lunch where we will be the guests of the Plaisterers Companyat their Hall at 1 London Wall. The price for the lunch is likely to be around 48.00 but this is to be confirmed. A calling notice accompanies this newsletter for those yet to book.

The lecture by Professor Isabel Rigol from Havana which had to be postponed as the result of Hurricane Wilma in October has been re-arrnaged and will now take place on Thursday 27 April at the RIBA. Again, tickets will be available from the RIBA. The topic of the lecture is The Saving of a Heritage City - Working with Havanas Architectural Heritage. In the wake of the further damage caused by the hurricane which delayed this lecture, what Professor Rigol has to say will have added importance. The Clerk will send out a synopsis of the lecture in March. There will be a limited number of places available at the Court Lunch on Monday 24 April. This is being attended by the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress and will be held in Dyers Hall and a ticket price has been set at 65.00. Please apply to the Clerk if you wish to attend.

Architectural Tourism
Think of the CPD points! The Masters trip to Lyon scheduled for 18 - 21 May has been well supported and an interesting programme devised. In addition to the many architectural charms of the area, those wishing to broaden their education are to be treated to a wine tasting session or two through the good offices of Patricia Stefanowicz MW and her connections in the heart of the gastronomic and wine area of France. It would be wise to add that these activities migh not qualify for CPD points! At this stage, it may be difficult to accommodate any late joiners but if there is interest, please contact the Clerk to see if flights and accommodation can be arranged. Also well, if not over, subcribed is the Trip to Chicago and Pittsburgh in August. Arrangements are now in place for the group of 24 members and others to fly to Chicago on 24 August. Attractions include a Chicago River Architecture Cruise, walking trips around historic and modern skyscrapers and the Millennium Park with Frank Gehrys Pritzker Pavilion. There are excursions to Oak Park, and the Illinois Istititute of Technology campus and a trip to Racine , Wisconsin to see the Johnson Wax Building and Wingspread. All this and much more. The highlight of the limited time in Pittsburgh will be a visit to Fallingwater and the nearby Usonion home - Kentuck Knob - owned by Peter Palumbo.

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Stuart Murphy Scholarship

Past Master Brian Waters, in whose mastership the Stuart Murphy Scholarship was set up was joined by Tom Ball and Guy Morgan-Harris in interviewing Yates Norton as the potential recipient of a scholarship which will pay his tuition costs for his two years A Level course at the City of London School. He was found to be most suitable and looks forward to entering the Sixth Form. Having freed himself from the joys of exams in general and Thucydidiies in particular, Yates advises that his introduction to the City was all down to singing which led his mother to take him for a try out in a choir. This took him to into the grand, rather tucked away Temple Church in London which, apart from being awash with soot, was beautiful, simple and light, and wonderfully spiritual. Success with the audition led him to an entrance exam for the City of London School, his first memory of which was stepping into the atrium area and seeing pigeons perched on Carpenters head. He has always, it seems, had a passion for drawing buildings. He was, on a visit to Stockholm, concerned to find what had been done in the sixties in the Clara Quarter where masses of beautiful buildings ....... were demolished in an effort to make the area more modern and appealing but which succeded in making the area most unappealing. He recognized the thought behind the schemes - On paper it all looks wonderful, colourful and friendly; smiling families and chatting stick men against a backdrop of vivid mosaics and chunks of concrete. Yet, after 5 years they looked awful, sad and dishevelled and confirmed my belief that good architecture is architecture that lasts and looks good far into the future. The design for a chair which he showed the interviewers has been partly realized though the use of onion and poisonous bulb sacks which has bought a number of his friends out in rashes and is not desperately comfortable. This is clearly a career to be watched for a number of reasons. One thing is certain is his enthusiasm: Receiving this award was so utterly brilliant, I was overwhelmed that I should receive such a novel and coveted Scholarship which has given me the confidence in art and design.

Members News
No newsletter would be complete without some small reference Court Assistant Edward Kings architectural achievements. The January 4 edition of the Mid Sussex Leader noted that he had received a Distinction in Building Award from Worthing Borough Council for his conversion of a listed building into flats and a ground floor restaurant. This from a man who finds the time to act as the Chairman of his local Council and tells his colleagues on the Court that he is trying to retire. Russell Craig noted the completion of the Temple Bar Relocation with considerable interest and regretted not being able to attend the Companys reception there. He recalls that I spent a considerable number of evenings at meetings with Sir Hugh Wontner and locally with the Friends of Temple Bar and the local MP over about 25 years, and having been instructed by Herts County Council to keep a low profile and offer what assistance I could to keep the building vandal proof and protected from the worst of the weather, I am pleased that the building has now found a proper resting place. All those unnecessary worries, rowdy meetings and sleepless nights..The building now looks magnificent.

City News
Notification has been received that the Priveleges Committee of the Court of Aldermen has completed the appraisal process in relation to the 2006/07 Mayoralty and have agreed to support the candidacy of Mr Alderman and Sheriff John Stuttard. The Committee plans to vote on the Mayoralty for 2007/08 in July so that, when Liverymen meet at Common Hall on Michalmas Day this year they will know who has the support of the Aldermen when they decide against whose name they wish to call All, Next Year or Later. In another modest departure from tradition it has been decided to refer to the City Civic in its incorporated capacity as The City of London Corporation. Those who attend formal meals at which the City is toasted will drink to the toast The Lord Mayor, the City of London Corporation and the Sheriffs or, The Lord Mayor and the City of London Corporation if the Sheriffs are not present
The Clerk: 82, Muswell Hill Road, London N10 3JR Ph / Fax: 020 8292 4893 email: wccaclerk@blueyonder.co.uk