Basil Spence: Buildings and Projects - A Landmark New Book

28 March 2012

Basil Spence – architect of Coventry Cathedral, Mortonhall Crematorium (Edinburgh) and Sussex University –  was the best known British architect of the 1950s and 1960s, but controversial projects of the 1970s left a mixed legacy.

To Britain’s most advanced young designers, Spence’s lack of interest in debate and theory, and his concern with ‘beauty’ seemed intolerably old-fashioned.

This new book seeks to reintegrate Spence into the history of his own period. Editors Jane Thomas, Louise Campbell and Miles Glendinning, draw deeply on the Sir Basil Spence archive [see note 3] to reveal the full range and diversity of his work.

Basil Spence identified strongly with his Scottish roots throughout his career. Born to Scottish parents in India, he was sent to school in Scotland, studied architecture at the Edinburgh College of Art, and also began his architectural practice in the city, where he was based for half his career. His most important Scottish buildings are Mortonhall Crematorium (1967) the Hutchesontown C tower blocks in the Gorbals (1965, demolished 1993) and Gribloch country house in Stirlingshire (1939).