- George Grenfell Baines
Infobox Architect
caption=
name= George Grenfell Baines
nationality=British
birth_date=birth date|1908|4|30|df=y
birth_place=Preston
death_date=death date and age|2003|5|9|1908|4|30|df=y
death_place=Preston
practice_name=Building Design Partnership
significant_buildings=
significant_projects=
significant_design=
awards=|Professor Sir George Grenfell-BainesOBE DL (30 April 1908 to 9 May 2003) was an Englisharchitect andtown planner . Born inPreston , as George Baines, his family’s humble circumstances forced him to start work at the age of fourteen. Both George and his younger brother, Richard (Dick), were prodigiously giftedmathematician s and draughtsmen. George left a secure, but limiting, job in theLancashire County Architect’s Office to work for the prestigious private firm ofBradshaw Gass & Hope in Bolton in 1930.During the 1930’s, George became aware of
Modernism , particularly the work ofLe Corbusier and Gropius, through the architectural press and was determined to practice it himself. He studied atManchester University for two years from 1934. It was at this time he adopted the name George Grenfell Baines at the suggestion of fellow student Gerald Hayforthwaite. Later this was hyphenated as Grenfell-Baines: Grenfell being his mother’s maiden name. He was known to friends and colleagues as “GG”.In 1935, he was awarded the Heywood prize for the design of
reinforced concrete flats. The following year he was awarded the third prize in a competition for a newRhodesia n Parliament; the prize money, £250, was enough to enable him to start his own practice.
GG’s work for theAir Ministry duringWorld War II brought him to the attention ofAnthony Chitty and theLondon Modernists. Although GG always chose to be based in Preston, he cultivated friendships in national and international circles. In 1951, he was invited to design a pavilion for theFestival of Britain . GG’s post-war work included theNew Town s ofNewton Aycliffe (planned 1947) andPeterlee (planned 1951).An abiding interest for GG was
multidisciplinary working. His highly successful firm BDP (Building Design Partnership) was the result of numerous experiments in management structure.In 1972, he became Professor of Architecture at
Sheffield University where he founded the Design Teaching Partnership. GG officially retired in 1974 but continued working as a consultant into his final decade.GG received anOBE in 1960 and was knighted in 1978.References
Grenfell-Baines, George (2000), interviewed by Louise Brodie at Preston, (January 5 - 11) "Architects’ Lives", London: National Biographical Archive, C467/46/F7839.
White, Bill (1987), "The Spirit Of BDP", Preston: BDP.External links
* [http://www.bdp.co.uk/flash/index.asp#a_ggb BDP web site]
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