Reputation restored for architect once branded 'the destroyer'

Channel Islands

Newsletters Subscription

Reputation restored for architect once branded 'the destroyer'

Archiseek / UK / Scotland / News / 2007 / June 5

He was reviled by many as the "destroyer of George Square", after 18th-century buildings were torn down and replaced by the likes of Edinburgh University's striking David Hume Tower. But the Scottish architect Sir Robert Matthew was actually an "uncrowned king" of conservation and deserves a bigger share of the credit for the recently- refurbished Royal Festival Hall in London, according to a new biography. Miles Glendinning, a writer and architecture expert, is the first to look at Matthew's contradictory career. Matthew designed New Zealand House - the first major tower block in central London - and the city-centre plan for Pakistan's new capital of Islamabad. But in Edinburgh, the Lothian Region Council offices on the Royal Mile, which he also designed, have just been torn down. They were attacked by civic leaders and MSPs as an eyesore.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the original story which was a working link at the time of publication may be no longer available on the newspaper site. In that case, the dates and headline of the story will allow you to research the original through your local library. In addition, some newspaper sites may require registration, either at a cost or free.