The Architecture of Edwin Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew: Twentieth Century Architecture, Pioneer Modernism and the Tropics

406 Pages·2014·12 MB·English

by  Iain Jackson

The ArchiTecTure of edwin MAxwell fry
And JAne drew
Ashgate Studies in Architecture Series
series editor: eamonn canniffe, manchester school of architecture,
manchester metropolitan university, uk
The discipline of Architecture is undergoing subtle transformation as design
awareness permeates our visually dominated culture. Technological change, the
search for sustainability and debates around the value of place and meaning
of the architectural gesture are aspects which will affect the cities we inhabit.
This series seeks to address such topics, both theoretically and in practice,
through the publication of high quality original research, written and visual.
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Forthcoming titles in this series
The Architecture of edwin Maxwell fry and Jane drew
Twentieth century Architecture, Pioneer Modernism and the Tropics
Iain Jackson and Jessica Holland
iSBn 978 1 4094 5198 3
The Architecture of edwin Maxwell fry
and Jane drew
Twentieth century Architecture, Pioneer Modernism
and the Tropics
iain Jackson
Liverpool School of Architecture, University of Liverpool
Jessica holland
Liverpool School of Architecture, University of Liverpool
© iain Jackson and Jessica holland 2014
All rights reserved. no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the publisher.
iain Jackson and Jessica holland have asserted their rights under the copyright, designs
and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the authors of this work.
Published by
Ashgate Publishing limited Ashgate Publishing company
wey court east 110 cherry Street
union road Suite 3-1
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British library.
iSBn: 978-1-4094-5198-3 (hbk)
iSBn: 978-1-4094-5199-0 (ebk – Pdf)
iSBn: 978-1-4724-0676-7 (ebk – ePuB)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Jackson, iain, author.
The architecture of edwin Maxwell fry and Jane drew : twentieth century architecture,
pioneer modernism and the tropics / by iain Jackson and Jessica holland.
pages cm. -- (Ashgate studies in architecture)
includes bibliographical references and index.
iSBn 978-1-4094-5198-3 (hardback) -- iSBn 978-1-4094-5199-0 (ebook) -- iSBn 978-1-
4724-0676-7 (epub) 1. fry, Maxwell, 1899-1987--criticism and interpretation. 2. drew,
Jane, 1911-1996--criticism and interpretation. 3. Modern movement (Architecture)--
Great Britain. 4. Modern movement (Architecture)--Africa, west. 5. Modern movement
(Architecture)--india. 6. Architecture, Tropical--Africa, west--history--20th century. 7.
Architecture, Tropical--india--history--20th century. i. holland, Jessica, author. ii. Title.
nA997.f78J33 2014
720.92’2--dc23
2014003011
V
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
Abbreviations xvii
Acknowledgements xix
Archives Consulted, Excluding Private Archival Material xxi
Introduction 1
1 From Classical Beginnings 9
2 Thirties’ Development 49
3 Jane Drew and the Partnership’s Origins 101
4 West Africa: Planning, Village Housing and New Schools
for Ghana 147
5 The Development and Reassessment of Tropical Architecture in
West Africa 183
6 Chandigarh and the Tropics Revisited 215
7 Humanism and Monumentality (A Post-war Compromise) 277
Conclusions 323
Chronology 331
Bibliography 351
Index 367
This page has been left blank intentionally
List of Illustrations
Note: Every effort has been made to trace all the copyright holders, but if any
have been inadvertently overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to make the
necessary arrangement at the first opportunity.
Introduction
0.1 Fry and Drew’s home and office at 63 Gloucester Place, London, c. 1960
0.2 Draughting Office, 63 Gloucester Place, London, c. 1960
0.3 Christmas Card from the Fry family, c. 1955
1 From Classical Beginnings
1.1 Architecture Studio (Charles Reilly to the foreground), Ashton Street, Liverpool
University, 1930
1.2 Sketch of Heckscher Building, Maxwell Fry, 1922
1.3 Sketch of Queensborough Bridge, Maxwell Fry, 1922
1.4 Liverpool University’s Rome Prize Finalists, 1923
1.5 Site Plan of a Recreation Centre, Maxwell Fry, 1923
1.6 Part Elevation of a Recreation Centre, Maxwell Fry, 1923
1.7 City of the Future, Maxwell Fry, 1931
1.8 Railway Station, Margate, Kent, c. 1930
1.9 Booking Hall, Railway Station, Margate, Kent, c. 1930
1.10 Ground Floor Plan, Manchester Art Gallery, 1925
viii THE ARCHiTECTURE OF EDwiN MAxwELL FRy AND JANE DREw
1.11 Transverse and Longitudinal Sections, Manchester Art Gallery, 1925
1.12 Site Plan, Birmingham Civic Centre, 1927
1.13 North Façade, Ridge End, Virginia water, Surrey, 1932
1.14 South Façade, Ridge End, Virginia water, Surrey, 1932
1.15 Competition Entry, Charing Cross Masterplan, London, 1931
1.16 Elevations to Portland Place and weymouth Street, RiBA Headquarters, London, 1932
2 Thirties’ Development
2.1 South façade of Sassoon House, Peckham, London, 1934
2.2 North façade of Sassoon House, Peckham, London, 1934
2.3 Part Plan of Sassoon House, Peckham, London, 1934
2.4 Site Plan, Kensal House, Kensington, London, 1937
2.5 Kensal House, Kensington, London, 1937
2.6 Kitchen at Kensal House, Kensington, London, 1937
2.7 Garden Façade, Little winch, Chipperfield, Hertfordshire, 1936
2.8 Existing Gardens, St Leonard’s Hill, windsor, 1934
2.9 Maxwell and Ethel Fry walking with family in Scotland, c. 1927
2.10 Ground Floor Plan, St Leonard’s Hill, windsor, 1934
2.11 South Façade, Sun House, Hampstead, London, 1936
2.12 Living Room with Murals by Hans Feibusch, Sun House, Hampstead, London, 1936
2.13 South Façade, Miramonte, Surrey, 1936
2.14 Dining Room, Miramonte, Surrey, 1936
2.15 64 and 66 (to the foreground) Old Church Street, Chelsea, 1936
2.16 wood House, Shipbourne, Kent, 1937
2.17 Ground Floor Plan, impington College, Cambridgeshire, 1936
2.18 Aerial Perspective, impington College, Cambridgeshire, 1936
LiST OF iLLUSTRATiONS ix
2.19 Garden (East) Elevation, Student Residence, Christ’s College, Cambridge, 1936
2.20 Aerial Perspective, Student Residence, Christ’s College, Cambridge, 1936
2.21 warham Ash, Breinton, Herefordshire, 2013
2.22 65 Ladbroke Grove, Kensington, London, 1938
2.23 Street Façade, Cecil Residential Club, North Gower Street, London, 1940
2.24 Entrance Hall, Cecil Residential Club, London, 1940
2.25 westminster Electric Supply Corporation Showrooms, Victoria Street, London, 1933
2.26 interior of the westminster Electric Supply Corporation Showrooms, Victoria Street,
London, 1933
2.27 Electricity Show Rooms, Regent Street, London, 1937
2.28 Electricity Show Rooms interior, Regent Street, London, 1937
2.29 MARS Exhibition, New Burlington Galleries, London, 1938
2.30 MARS Exhibition, New Burlington Galleries, London, 1938
3 Jane Drew and the Partnership’s Origins
3.1 Harry Guy Radcliffe Drew, 1946
3.2 Emma Spering Drew with daughter Dorothy, 1910
3.3 Jane and Dorothy Drew, c. 1916
3.4 Jane Drew at Croydon High School for Girls, 1925
3.5 ‘British Goods’ Sketch, AA Pantomime (Drew, 2nd left), 1931
3.6 Passport photographs of Drew and Alliston, 1935
3.7 Odeon Cinema, Claremont Road, Surbiton, London, 1935
3.8 Entrance Foyer by Mollo and Egan, Odeon Cinema, Surbiton, 1934
3.9 Lanchester and Laughton at 34 Gordon Square, Bloomsbury, London, 1938
3.10 View from the South-west, Gloucester Avenue, Cliftonville, Kent, 1937
3.11 Living Room towards the waiting Room, Gloucester Avenue, Cliftonville, Kent, 1937