Catherine Cooke
Encyclopedia
Catherine Anne Chichester Cooke (1942-2004) was a British architect and a Russian scholar of international renown. She was Lecturer in Design at the Open University
at the time of her death in a car accident in 2004. She also lectured and taught at the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge
.
where she was one of a handful of women students in her year. After a short spell in architectural practice, notably at the office of the Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto
and then at Casson
Condor in London, she returned to Cambridge to undertake her Ph.D on Soviet Town Planning which she completed in 1975.
Since then, Catherine’s interests broadened to cover all aspects of Soviet avant-garde design and Soviet architecture and town planning, and particularly Russian Constructivist architecture
. She wrote, was an editor and lectured extensively on these subjects. Her editorial involvement with the Architectural Design magazine published by Academy Books led to a number of publications on Russian architects and designers such as Chernikhov. Particularly well known are her publications on the Russian Avante-Garde and Constuctivism in the post 1917 era. A fluent Russian speaker, Catherine was significantly instrumental in raising awareness in the West both about Russian visual culture and the sorry plight of a number of Soviet buildings, which she did through her UK chairmanship of Docomomo (the international working party for the documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the Modern Movement).
Open University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
at the time of her death in a car accident in 2004. She also lectured and taught at the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
Life
She trained as an architect between 1961-7 at the Department of Architecture at the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
where she was one of a handful of women students in her year. After a short spell in architectural practice, notably at the office of the Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto
Alvar Aalto
Hugo Alvar Henrik Aalto was a Finnish architect and designer. His work includes architecture, furniture, textiles and glassware...
and then at Casson
Casson
Cassons or Casson is the name of a Yokut Native American tribe in central eastern California. The Cassons are also called the Gashowu. The Casson Yokut territory extended from the eastern side of San Joaquin Valley floor eastward to the upper foothills, between the San Joaquin River to the north...
Condor in London, she returned to Cambridge to undertake her Ph.D on Soviet Town Planning which she completed in 1975.
Since then, Catherine’s interests broadened to cover all aspects of Soviet avant-garde design and Soviet architecture and town planning, and particularly Russian Constructivist architecture
Constructivist architecture
Constructivist architecture was a form of modern architecture that flourished in the Soviet Union in the 1920s and early 1930s. It combined advanced technology and engineering with an avowedly Communist social purpose. Although it was divided into several competing factions, the movement produced...
. She wrote, was an editor and lectured extensively on these subjects. Her editorial involvement with the Architectural Design magazine published by Academy Books led to a number of publications on Russian architects and designers such as Chernikhov. Particularly well known are her publications on the Russian Avante-Garde and Constuctivism in the post 1917 era. A fluent Russian speaker, Catherine was significantly instrumental in raising awareness in the West both about Russian visual culture and the sorry plight of a number of Soviet buildings, which she did through her UK chairmanship of Docomomo (the international working party for the documentation and conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the Modern Movement).
Works
Her contributions include:- (ed.), The Avant-Garde (AD magazine, 1988)
- (ed.), Fantasy and Construction – Iakov Chernikhov (AD magazine, vol 59 no 7–8, London 1989)
- Architectural Drawings of the Russian Avant-Garde (MOMA, 1990)
- (with Igor Kazus) Soviet Architectural Competitions (Phaidon, 1992)
- Russian Avant-Garde: Theories of Art, Architecture and the City, Academy Editions, London, 1995
- (with Dennis SharpDennis SharpDennis Sharp was a British architect, professor, curator, historian, author and editor.Dennis Sharp studied at Bedford Modern School and at Luton School of Art...
) DOCOMOMO: The Modern Movement in Architecture, Uitgeverij, 010 Publishers, 2000.