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askygoneonfire) wrote2010-11-23 07:12 pm
askygoneonfire) wrote2010-11-23 07:12 pm
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Thomas Cecil Howitt
In Nottingham, there is a spectacular building. For reasons I can't fathom, I never knew it was there. harleyrose and I visited Nottingham last month and, as we sat eating curry in Wagamama, became transfixed (or at least I did, I can't speak for harleyrose ) by a building opposite us.
After some googling (and google street view-ing) I discovered the building is called the Newton Building and has recently been restored after multi million pound investment by it's owners, Nottingham Trent University. It is a grade II listed building, those of you who understand architecture speak can click on that link. The rest of you can look at this photo (google images 'Newton Building Nottingham' for more) to begin to appreciate (perhaps) why I had such a strong reaction to this building;
The architect who created the Newton Building did so in 1956, (which shocked me; it seemed like classic 1930s architecture to this dabbling afficinado) was Thomas Cecil Howitt. When I looked him up (on wikipedia, naturally) I discovered he was a Nottingham boy; which pleased me. I have an immutable belief that the very best (for a value of 'best' I doubt is widely shared) architecture comes from local people; there is something perfectly organic about glorious buildings being designed for a city by those the city itself has produced; a self sustaining, self creating metropolis.
More googling. And I discover that the majority of Thomas Cecil Howitt's buildings were designed and built in the 1930's. Was this stunning building out dated and unfashionable when it was built? I've found so little about him and his buildings as yet I simply don't know.
A look at some of his cinemas (a personal favourite of mine, T.C. Howitt is fast becoming one of my favourite architects!) suggest how committed he was to this distinctive, art deco style;
Odeon Cinema, Bristol - with some fabulous history including a murder!
Odeon Cinema, Bridgwater, Somerset - included in this recent(ish) article about lost cinemas.
Odeon Cinema, Western-super-Mare - Described in that link as 'arguably one of the finest buildings constructed for the Odeon cinema chain'
According to Wikipedia, he retired to a house he designed in Orston, which is all of 5 minutes away from my village so I might have to go for saunter. Finally found something in my surroundings to appreciate that you can't get in Brighton.
harleyrose and I visited Nottingham last month and, as we sat eating curry in Wagamama, became transfixed (or at least I did, I can't speak for harleyrose ) by a building opposite us.After some googling (and google street view-ing) I discovered the building is called the Newton Building and has recently been restored after multi million pound investment by it's owners, Nottingham Trent University. It is a grade II listed building, those of you who understand architecture speak can click on that link. The rest of you can look at this photo (google images 'Newton Building Nottingham' for more) to begin to appreciate (perhaps) why I had such a strong reaction to this building;
The architect who created the Newton Building did so in 1956, (which shocked me; it seemed like classic 1930s architecture to this dabbling afficinado) was Thomas Cecil Howitt. When I looked him up (on wikipedia, naturally) I discovered he was a Nottingham boy; which pleased me. I have an immutable belief that the very best (for a value of 'best' I doubt is widely shared) architecture comes from local people; there is something perfectly organic about glorious buildings being designed for a city by those the city itself has produced; a self sustaining, self creating metropolis.
More googling. And I discover that the majority of Thomas Cecil Howitt's buildings were designed and built in the 1930's. Was this stunning building out dated and unfashionable when it was built? I've found so little about him and his buildings as yet I simply don't know.
A look at some of his cinemas (a personal favourite of mine, T.C. Howitt is fast becoming one of my favourite architects!) suggest how committed he was to this distinctive, art deco style;
Odeon Cinema, Bristol - with some fabulous history including a murder!
Odeon Cinema, Bridgwater, Somerset - included in this recent(ish) article about lost cinemas.
Odeon Cinema, Western-super-Mare - Described in that link as 'arguably one of the finest buildings constructed for the Odeon cinema chain'
According to Wikipedia, he retired to a house he designed in Orston, which is all of 5 minutes away from my village so I might have to go for saunter. Finally found something in my surroundings to appreciate that you can't get in Brighton.