James Gowan was a Scottish-born architect known for his post-modernist designs of the "engineering style" which influenced a generation of British architects.
11 Facts About James Gowan
1.
2.
James Gowan was brought up by his grandparents in Partick after his parents' separation, but went to live with his mother aged 12 and attended Hyndland Secondary School.
3.
James Gowan studied architecture at the Glasgow School of Art before joining the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
4.
James Gowan was stationed in Palestine as a radar operator.
5.
James Gowan married Margaret Barry in October 1944, having two daughters.
6.
James Gowan's projects included working on the Skylon design for the 1951 Festival of Britain, then Stevenage New Town.
7.
James Gowan then created designs for projects such as Schreiber House in West Hampstead, built in 1964 for furniture designer Chaim Schreiber, for which James Gowan designed bespoke fitted-furniture that Schreiber subsequently made.
8.
Almost two decades later, in 1982, James Gowan designed a second house for Schreiber.
9.
James Gowan worked on large housing schemes in Greenwich and East Hanningfield.
10.
James Gowan did not receive the personal recognition to match the boldness of his designs and his contribution to the work with Stirling was unfairly understated.
11.
James Gowan was appointed Bannister Fletcher Professor at University College London in 1975 and taught in the US as visiting professor.