Jack Howe (architect)
Encyclopedia
Jack Howe was an architect and industrial designer who worked on Impington Village College as an architect and the Chubb cash dispenser
MD2 as an industrial designer.
, Middlesex
on 24 February 1911, and was a butcher's son. He attended Enfield Grammar School
and studied architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic
.
, and from 1934 onwards for Maxwell Fry
, where he worked on Impington Village College and the Westminster Electricity Showroom in Regent Street. Following Walter Gropius
's move to the United States in 1937, Howe oversaw the construction of Impington Village College. At the outbreak of the World War II, he worked with Holland, Hannen & Cubitts for the Royal Ordnance factories
at Wrexham and Ranskill. He then joined Arcon in 1944 as associate partner, and worked on the design of the Mark 4 prefabricated house, of which 41,000 were later built. He set up his own practice after the end of the war, and designed Highbury Quadrant Primary School and housing at Windmill House, Lambeth, among other buildings, for the London County Council
. He worked on the Kodak pavilion at the Brussels World Fair in 1958 and the British Pavilion at the British Trade Fair in Moscow in 1961.
, for whom he designed the Chubb cash dispenser MD2, which won him the 1969 Duke of Edinburgh's Prize for Elegant Design, Associated Electrical Industries
, Thermos, Morphy Richards
and Heals.
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
MD2 as an industrial designer.
Early life
Howe was born in EnfieldLondon Borough of Enfield
The London Borough of Enfield is the most northerly London borough and forms part of Outer London. It borders the London Boroughs of Barnet, Haringey and Waltham Forest...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
on 24 February 1911, and was a butcher's son. He attended Enfield Grammar School
Enfield Grammar School
Enfield Grammar School is a boys' comprehensive school in Enfield Town in the London Borough of Enfield in north London.-History:Enfield Grammar School was founded on the 25th. May 1558...
and studied architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
.
Architecture career
Howe worked for Joseph EmbertonJoseph Emberton
Joseph Emberton was an English architect of the early modernist period. He was born 23 December 1889 in Audley, Staffordshire and was educated at the Royal College of Art. He first worked for the London architects Trehearne and Norman between 1913-1914, before serving as a gunner in the Honourable...
, and from 1934 onwards for Maxwell Fry
Maxwell Fry
Edwin Maxwell Fry, CBE, RA, FRIBA, FRTPI, known as Maxwell Fry , was an English modernist architect of the middle and late 20th century, known for his buildings in Britain, Africa and India....
, where he worked on Impington Village College and the Westminster Electricity Showroom in Regent Street. Following Walter Gropius
Walter Gropius
Walter Adolph Georg Gropius was a German architect and founder of the Bauhaus School who, along with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier, is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture....
's move to the United States in 1937, Howe oversaw the construction of Impington Village College. At the outbreak of the World War II, he worked with Holland, Hannen & Cubitts for the Royal Ordnance factories
Royal Ordnance Factory
Royal Ordnance Factories was the collective name of the UK government's munitions factories in and after World War II. Until privatisation in 1987 they were the responsibility of the Ministry of Supply and later the Ministry of Defence....
at Wrexham and Ranskill. He then joined Arcon in 1944 as associate partner, and worked on the design of the Mark 4 prefabricated house, of which 41,000 were later built. He set up his own practice after the end of the war, and designed Highbury Quadrant Primary School and housing at Windmill House, Lambeth, among other buildings, for the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
. He worked on the Kodak pavilion at the Brussels World Fair in 1958 and the British Pavilion at the British Trade Fair in Moscow in 1961.
Industrial design career
Howe had his first industrial design commission in 1946 from Gent & Co Ltd., and moved gradually into industrial design from the 1950s onwards. Among his clients were ChubbChubb Locks
Chubb Locks is a brand name of the Mul-T-Lock subsidiary of the Assa Abloy Group, which manufactures high security locking systems for residential, secure confinement and commercial applications.-History:...
, for whom he designed the Chubb cash dispenser MD2, which won him the 1969 Duke of Edinburgh's Prize for Elegant Design, Associated Electrical Industries
Associated Electrical Industries
Associated Electrical Industries was a British holding company formed in 1928 through the merger of the British Thomson-Houston Company and Metropolitan-Vickers electrical engineering companies...
, Thermos, Morphy Richards
Morphy Richards
Morphy Richards is a business located in the Swinton Meadows Industrial Estate, Swinton, near Mexborough, South Yorkshire.-Product range:It specialises in the manufacture of toasters, hairdryers, bread makers, kettles and sandwich toasters and other appliances. In its early stage it also made...
and Heals.