William Alington (architect)
Encyclopedia
William Hildebrand Alington (born 18 November 1929) is a New Zealand Modernist architect
, whose work has been awarded nationally, and recognised internationally.
Husband of New Zealand historian Margaret Alington
.
, Wellington
in 1929. Alington began his career as an architectural cadet in the New Zealand Ministry of Works
(MoW) in 1949, before studying architecture at the Auckland University College School of Architecture (Auckland
, New Zealand) from 1951-1955. Early influences of this time include Gordon Wilson, who was the Government Architect at the time, MoW cadet supervisor James (Jim) Beard, who was to become something of a mentor to Alington during the early part of his career, and Professor Richard Toy
of Auckland University College School of Architecture. Upon returning to the MoW after his graduation, Alington was assigned to the Hydro-Electricity department where he worked for a short, but influential, time under Chris Valenduuk. Here Alington was responsible for designing the Bulls
Water Tower (1956), and the Power House and Control Building for the Waipapa Dam (1956).
In 1955 Alington married Margaret Hilda Broadhead. They have three children: Elizabeth Hilda (1959), Giles Hildebrand (1961), and Catherine Beatrice (1962).
In 1956 Alington left New Zealand, travelling to London, Europe; and on a Fulbright Travelling Scholarship, to Illinois in the United States. During 1956-1957 he worked in the London office of Robert Matthew and Johnson-Marshall on, among other projects, New Zealand House (London, England), and Ruddington Secondary Modern School (Nottingham, England). During this time he and his wife Margaret embarked on a tour of western Europe, fulfilling his desire to see firsthand the large medieval cathedrals, as well as key works of Modernist architecture including Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp Chapel and Unite d’Habitation in Marseilles.
From 1957-1959 Alington completed a M.Arch degree at the University of Illinois
’ School of Architecture (Urbana
, U.S.
), during which time he had occasion to meet with Mies van der Rohe. While in the United States Alington took the opportunity to visit buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright
and Mies van der Rohe.
, 1962), and the Meteorological Office (Wellington, 1965).
Alington also designed his own house (Alington House
, Wellington, 1962); an important building in his oeuvre, revealing the strong influences of both Mies van der Rohe, and Alington’s former cadet supervisor at the MoW, James Albert Beard. The Alington house was awarded an NZIA Wellington Branch Enduring Architecture award in 2002, and an NZIA (National) Enduring Architecture award in 2007. It was also listed as a Category 1 Protected Building on the New Zealand Historic Places Trust register in 2007.
In 1965, Alington moved into private practice, accepting a partnership offered by Allot Gabites and James Beard in their architectural practice of Gabites and Beard. This partnership merged with Toomath and Wilson in 1971, becoming Gabites Toomath Beard Wilson and Partners. Although this ‘super-practice’ was to win the only two NZIA national medals awarded in 1972 (Alington for the Upper Hutt Civic Centre, and Toomath for the Karori Teachers’ College), the firm proved to be short-lived, and in that same year splintered under the weight of too many personalities. William Toomath
and Derek Wilson
took on new partners, becoming Toomath Wilson Irvine Anderson (TWIA), while Beard formed his own practice under the name of James Beard & Co. Alington remained with Al Gabites, and together with Derrick Edmondson formed Gabites Alington Edmonson. In 1978, George Porter joined the practice as a partner, prompting yet another name change to Gabites Porter and Partners. In 1983, Alington set up his own architectural practice: Alington Group Architects. He retired from professional practice in 2000.
Much of Alington’s work during the 1970s has taken the form of institutional projects including work for civic councils, and educational institutions such as schools and universities. Some examples of these are:
Alington has also carried out a large number of church projects, including: Stokes Valley Methodist Church (Stokes Valley, 1966), St Michael’s Anglican Church Extension (Wellington, 1971), St Peter’s Anglican Church Alterations (Wellington, 1978), St Mary’s Anglican Church Extension 1988 (New Plymouth
), Karori Baptist Church (Wellington, 1990), St Mary’s Anglican Church Extension (Wellington, 1993). He was a Wellington Anglican Diocesan Synods Person 1972-1990.
In 1972, Alington was appointed Honorary Lecturer and Tutor at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Architecture & Design, lecturing in architectural history. He also taught at the University of Auckland as a Visiting Lecturer in 1982.
Other professional posts held include: NZIA Branch Committee Executive Member (1961–1969), NZIA Journal Assistant Editor (1964–1969), NZIA Councillor, Vice President, Branch Chairman (1977–1979), and Wellington Architectural Centre
President (1970–1972).
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, whose work has been awarded nationally, and recognised internationally.
Husband of New Zealand historian Margaret Alington
Margaret Alington
Margaret Hilda Alington is a New Zealand historian, whose work has contributed much to the knowledge of architectural history in New Zealand....
.
Education and early years
William Alington was born in Lower HuttLower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
in 1929. Alington began his career as an architectural cadet in the New Zealand Ministry of Works
New Zealand Ministry of Works
The New Zealand Ministry of Works, formerly the Department of Public Works and sometimes referred to as the Public Works Department or PWD, was founded in 1876 and disestablished and privatised in 1988...
(MoW) in 1949, before studying architecture at the Auckland University College School of Architecture (Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand) from 1951-1955. Early influences of this time include Gordon Wilson, who was the Government Architect at the time, MoW cadet supervisor James (Jim) Beard, who was to become something of a mentor to Alington during the early part of his career, and Professor Richard Toy
Richard Toy
Richard Horton Beauclerc Toy, OBE was a former New Zealand architect renowned for his church architecture.Toy was born in Ignace, Ontario, Canada in 1911. His family moved to New Zealand in 1923...
of Auckland University College School of Architecture. Upon returning to the MoW after his graduation, Alington was assigned to the Hydro-Electricity department where he worked for a short, but influential, time under Chris Valenduuk. Here Alington was responsible for designing the Bulls
Bulls
Bulls may refer to:*Bulls, the male of cattle*Bulls, New Zealand, Rangitikei township*Papal bulls, a charter issued by a popeIn sports:*Bulls , a rugby union franchise operated by the Blue Bulls...
Water Tower (1956), and the Power House and Control Building for the Waipapa Dam (1956).
In 1955 Alington married Margaret Hilda Broadhead. They have three children: Elizabeth Hilda (1959), Giles Hildebrand (1961), and Catherine Beatrice (1962).
In 1956 Alington left New Zealand, travelling to London, Europe; and on a Fulbright Travelling Scholarship, to Illinois in the United States. During 1956-1957 he worked in the London office of Robert Matthew and Johnson-Marshall on, among other projects, New Zealand House (London, England), and Ruddington Secondary Modern School (Nottingham, England). During this time he and his wife Margaret embarked on a tour of western Europe, fulfilling his desire to see firsthand the large medieval cathedrals, as well as key works of Modernist architecture including Le Corbusier’s Ronchamp Chapel and Unite d’Habitation in Marseilles.
From 1957-1959 Alington completed a M.Arch degree at the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
’ School of Architecture (Urbana
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
), during which time he had occasion to meet with Mies van der Rohe. While in the United States Alington took the opportunity to visit buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
and Mies van der Rohe.
The Ministry of Works Years
On his return to New Zealand Alington resumed work as an architect with the MoW, with notable buildings of this time including the Gisborne Courthouse (GisborneGisborne, New Zealand
-Economy:The harbour was host to many ships in the past and had developed as a river port to provide a more secure location for shipping compared with the open roadstead of Poverty Bay which can be exposed to southerly swells. A meat works was sited beside the harbour and meat and wool was shipped...
, 1962), and the Meteorological Office (Wellington, 1965).
Alington also designed his own house (Alington House
Alington House
Alington House is an historic building in Karori, Wellington, New Zealand.The house was designed by William Alington for his family as a private job while working for the New Zealand Government's Ministry of Works immediately after returning from his overseas experience.The Alington house was...
, Wellington, 1962); an important building in his oeuvre, revealing the strong influences of both Mies van der Rohe, and Alington’s former cadet supervisor at the MoW, James Albert Beard. The Alington house was awarded an NZIA Wellington Branch Enduring Architecture award in 2002, and an NZIA (National) Enduring Architecture award in 2007. It was also listed as a Category 1 Protected Building on the New Zealand Historic Places Trust register in 2007.
Private Practice(s)
William Toomath
Stanley William Toomath is a Wellington architect. He was a founding member of the Architectural Group in Auckland in 1946 and is a life member of the Wellington Architectural Centre and a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects...
and Derek Wilson
Derek Wilson
Derek J. Wilson is a New Zealand architect. He was active in Wellington. He is also known as an environmentalist, and has published several works.-Early years and private life:...
took on new partners, becoming Toomath Wilson Irvine Anderson (TWIA), while Beard formed his own practice under the name of James Beard & Co. Alington remained with Al Gabites, and together with Derrick Edmondson formed Gabites Alington Edmonson. In 1978, George Porter joined the practice as a partner, prompting yet another name change to Gabites Porter and Partners. In 1983, Alington set up his own architectural practice: Alington Group Architects. He retired from professional practice in 2000.
Much of Alington’s work during the 1970s has taken the form of institutional projects including work for civic councils, and educational institutions such as schools and universities. Some examples of these are:
- VUW School of Music Kelburn, Wellington 1984
- NZ Chancery New Delhi (unbuilt project) 1984
- Boulevard Hotel (unrealised project) 1984
- Dunedin City Council Administration Building (competition entry) 1979
- Waipa County Offices Te Awamutu 1977
- Wellington High School Wellington, 1973
- NZ Chancery New Delhi (unbuilt project) 1973
- Upper Hutt Civic Centre Upper Hutt 1972
- Helen Lowry Halls of Residence Karori, Wellington, 1972
- Massey University Halls of Residence Palmerston North, 1970
Alington has also carried out a large number of church projects, including: Stokes Valley Methodist Church (Stokes Valley, 1966), St Michael’s Anglican Church Extension (Wellington, 1971), St Peter’s Anglican Church Alterations (Wellington, 1978), St Mary’s Anglican Church Extension 1988 (New Plymouth
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
), Karori Baptist Church (Wellington, 1990), St Mary’s Anglican Church Extension (Wellington, 1993). He was a Wellington Anglican Diocesan Synods Person 1972-1990.
In 1972, Alington was appointed Honorary Lecturer and Tutor at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Architecture & Design, lecturing in architectural history. He also taught at the University of Auckland as a Visiting Lecturer in 1982.
Other professional posts held include: NZIA Branch Committee Executive Member (1961–1969), NZIA Journal Assistant Editor (1964–1969), NZIA Councillor, Vice President, Branch Chairman (1977–1979), and Wellington Architectural Centre
Wellington Architectural Centre
The Architectural Centre Inc is a nonprofit organization in Wellington, New Zealand for architects and laypeople which offers lectures, site visits, tours and exhibitions.It is a co-organiser of Wellington Architecture Week.-History of the Centre:...
President (1970–1972).
Awards
- NZIA (New Zealand Institute of Architects) - Resene Enduring Award for Architecture, 2007 (for Alington House, Wellington)
- NZIA Resene Local Award for Architecture, 2001 (for Alington House, Wellington)
- NZIA National Award – 1972 National Design Award, 11 May 1977 (for the Waipa County Council Administration building and Council Chamber at Te Awamutu)
- NZIA Branch Award, 22 February 1977 (for the Waipa County Council Office at Te Awamutu)
- NZIA Branch Award – 1975 Design Award, February 1976 (for Ministry of Transport Bulk Store, Kilbirnie, Wellington)
- NZIA Branch Award – 1974 Design Award, February 1975 (for the Massey University Halls of Residence, B C & D, Palmerston North)
- NZIA National Design Award Silver Medal, May 1972 (for Upper Hutt Civic Centre Council Chambers and Civic Hall, Upper Hutt)
- NZIA Branch Award – 1971 Design Award, February 1972 (for the Upper Hutt Civic Centre Council Chambers and Civic Hall, Upper Hutt)
- NZIA Wellington Branch Award, 1972 (for Helen Lowry Halls of Residence, Wellington)
External links
- Alington, W H., and Cyril Roy Knight. WILSON, Francis Gordon (Obituary)
- Michael-D. Images of works by W H Alington
- NZIA Enduring Architecture Award, 2007