Archibald Hurley Robinson

Archibald Hurley Robinson was a prolific British architect of cinemas prior to World War II. Following World War II, the demand for new cinemas had diminished and his work focussed more on office buildings. He set up his own practice which was initially called "Hurley Robinson & Sons" and then renamed "Hurley Robinson & Partners", which were both based in Birmingham, England.

Robinson's work on cinemas was mainly during the 1930s. His cinemas were mainly of the Art Deco style that was popularly used by Oscar Deutsch for his Odeon Cinemas. A lot of Robinson's work was commissioned in the Midlands area of England.

Hurley Robinson remodelled the Salters' Hall in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire to become a cinema in 1933. This was again altered to become a library in 1982. [cite book| author=Nikolaus Pevsner |coauthors=Alan Brooks |title=Worcestershire |year=2007 |publisher=Yale University Press |pages=268 |isbn=030011298X] He also designed the Ritz Cinema in Bordesley Green, Birmingham. [cite book| title=The Subject Index to Periodicals |author=Library Association |year=1928 |publisher=Library Association] A pre-World War II work by Robinson was the Lee Longlands furniture store on Broad Street, Birmingham. This was completed in 1931, and is a rare example of a building that was not a cinema by Robinson before the war. The building was extended in 1939.cite book |title=Pevsner Architectural Guides: Birmingham |author=Andy Foster |year=2007 |publisher=Yale University Press |pages=153 |isbn=978-0-300-10731-0] Another example of a pre-World War II work by Hurley Robinson is the Kent Street Baths in Birmingham which was built between 1931 and 1933. The Art Deco baths still survive, however are disused.

Following World War II, the cinema business deteriorated and Robinson's work was less concentrated on this aspect of construction. In 1959, Robinson was commissioned to design an extension to a factory used by Rootes Motor Parts Limited on the Coventry Road in Birmingham. ["Mechanical World and Engineering Record", page 336, issue 336, 1959, Emmott & Co. Ltd.] Also in 1959, construction of Norfolk House on Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham was completed. The building is now locally listed. The building was originally intended to be a warehouse, however it later incorporated offices and retail units. The façade is clad in stone and there is a wavy shell concrete canopy above the street level. [cite web |url=http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/ELibrary?E_LIBRARY_ID=84&a=1139253492002 |title=20th Century Birmingham Buildings: 50s |publisher=Birmingham City Council |format=pdf |accessdate=2008-01-20]

Cinemas designed by Robinson include:

References