Chapman Taylor at 60: Our London origins


In 1959, London’s newest architectural practice took on the first of many pioneering commissions in the UK capital. Main Board Director Chris Lanksbury examines Chapman Taylor’s London origins, its role in designing and delivering some of the city’s best buildings and the relevance of this heritage to our present-day work.

Chapman Taylor was formed in London 60 years ago by our founding partners Jane Durham, John Taylor and Bob Chapman. Our formative work, spanning the 1960s – 1980s, includes some of London’s most prominent projects, and helped Chapman Taylor develop a distinctive architectural set of values that still has relevance to our work today.

The first major commission was the design and delivery of New Scotland Yard, in Westminster, which became the headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police. While most renowned in the public eye for its famous triangular revolving sign, from a planning perspective it was notable for the successful placing of its rectangular office buildings within a challenging triangular site.

Chapman Taylor went on to design a number of significant buildings in the capital throughout this period. These projects delivered innovative design and, most importantly, responded to the historic character of London.

Caxton House, again in Westminster, occupies a key site in the vicinity of Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey. This office development, built in 1976-79, uses a vigorous crenelated skyline design and high-quality materials such as its Portland Stone finish – providing an innovative design solution for the urban context.

The same contextual challenges were present in the design for Lansdowne House in Berkeley Square – one of London’s greatest public squares, situated in the heart of Mayfair. The resulting building prompted planning inspectors to conclude that it was ‘innovative and would provide a building of excellence’, before subsequently grant planning permission in 1983.

Not all of the practice’s early London work encompassed new building design and delivery. In 1988, the London Pavilion, a listed landmark at Piccadilly Circus, was reopened by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher after an extensive refurbishment. Chapman Taylor led the redesign and expansion of the Pavilion’s leisure facilities, as well as creating an integrated new level above the original pediments of the 1880s building.

The original character of the building was brought to life through the addition of new sculptures on the pediment, an approach applied to other schemes such as the Hotel Bristol on London’s Piccadilly where Dame Elizabeth Frink, one of England’s greatest sculptors, provided her horse and rider statue that still stands today opposite the famous Ritz Hotel. The use of art to enliven the public realm is an important theme in many Chapman Taylor schemes today.

These London landmark projects had a formative impact on Chapman Taylor’s development as leading architects of commercial buildings. However, the practice’s involvement in several major London masterplanning schemes of the early 1980s was also significant.

The masterplanning of the Millbank Estate, for the Crown Estate Commissioners, required a considered and sympathetic response to the historic buildings of the famous English architect Thomas Cubitt. The 27-acre Central London site was planned and built over an 18-year period. The plan also included the development of the striking contemporary office building at One Drummond Gate (1983), notable for the way its contemporary design approach successfully integrated with the classical façades of the Cubitt developments.

During the same period, the Duke of Westminster’s Grosvenor Estate asked Chapman Taylor to prepare a planning strategy to take the estate through the next 100 years. The project helped ensure the continued growth of London as a major world city.

We are now in Chapman Taylor’s seventh decade in business, and our London roots have now expanded to create studios all over the world, and international clients appreciate our combined offer of local teams backed up by a global network of experts.

What our London projects demonstrate is an ability to design architecture that provides a unique response to a particular context which, balanced with a clear understanding of the commercial objectives of the projects, has ensured their vitality and success. These principles have continued to underpin Chapman Taylor’s philosophy on our work around the world.

The first major commission was the design and delivery of New Scotland Yard, in Westminster, which became the headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police. While most renowned in the public eye for its famous triangular revolving sign, from a planning perspective it was notable for the successful placing of its rectangular office buildings within a challenging triangular site.

Chapman Taylor went on to design a number of significant buildings in the capital throughout this period. These projects delivered innovative design and, most importantly, responded to the historic character of London.

Caxton House, again in Westminster, occupies a key site in the vicinity of Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey. This office development, built in 1976-79, uses a vigorous crenelated skyline design and high-quality materials such as its Portland Stone finish – providing an innovative design solution for the urban context.

The same contextual challenges were present in the design for Lansdowne House in Berkeley Square – one of London’s greatest public squares, situated in the heart of Mayfair. The resulting building prompted planning inspectors to conclude that it was ‘innovative and would provide a building of excellence’, before subsequently grant planning permission in 1983.

Not all of the practice’s early London work encompassed new building design and delivery. In 1988, the London Pavilion, a listed landmark at Piccadilly Circus, was reopened by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher after an extensive refurbishment. Chapman Taylor led the redesign and expansion of the Pavilion’s leisure facilities, as well as creating an integrated new level above the original pediments of the 1880s building.

The original character of the building was brought to life through the addition of new sculptures on the pediment, an approach applied to other schemes such as the Hotel Bristol on London’s Piccadilly where Dame Elizabeth Frink, one of England’s greatest sculptors, provided her horse and rider statue that still stands today opposite the famous Ritz Hotel. The use of art to enliven the public realm is an important theme in many Chapman Taylor schemes today.

These London landmark projects had a formative impact on Chapman Taylor’s development as leading architects of commercial buildings. However, the practice’s involvement in several major London masterplanning schemes of the early 1980s was also significant.

The masterplanning of the Millbank Estate, for the Crown Estate Commissioners, required a considered and sympathetic response to the historic buildings of the famous English architect Thomas Cubitt. The 27-acre Central London site was planned and built over an 18-year period. The plan also included the development of the striking contemporary office building at One Drummond Gate (1983), notable for the way its contemporary design approach successfully integrated with the classical façades of the Cubitt developments.

During the same period, the Duke of Westminster’s Grosvenor Estate asked Chapman Taylor to prepare a planning strategy to take the estate through the next 100 years. The project helped ensure the continued growth of London as a major world city.

We are now in Chapman Taylor’s seventh decade in business, and our London roots have now expanded to create studios all over the world, and international clients appreciate our combined offer of local teams backed up by a global network of experts.

What our London projects demonstrate is an ability to design architecture that provides a unique response to a particular context which, balanced with a clear understanding of the commercial objectives of the projects, has ensured their vitality and success. These principles have continued to underpin Chapman Taylor’s philosophy on our work around the world.

Chris Lanksbury (建筑学学士 建筑学文凭 英国皇家建筑师学会会员)

Director, 伦敦

自1979年加入查普门泰勒以来,克里斯一直在公司全球扩张进程中发挥着重要作用。他是查普门泰勒所有者之一,主要负责国际业务战略发展。 克里斯如今仍然具体负责着各种重要项目的设计工作,他的建筑作品涉及领域广泛、规模不一,遍布全球六十余国。他相信,建筑设计从信念、功能和环境中汲取灵感,是一个需要认真管理、相互合作的过程。

专长领域:
总体规划/综合体/零售商业/休闲场所/办公空间/住宅/酒店

คริส อยู่กับ Chapman Taylor มาตั้งแต่ค.ศ. 1979 และมีบทบาทสำคัญในการขยายบริษัทสู่ธุรกิจการออกแบบไปทั่วโลก นอกจากรั้งตำแหน่งเป็นประธานของห้างหุ้นส่วนที่จำกัดความรับผิดชอบแล้ว คริสยังเป็นสมาชิกของคณะกรรมการบริหารนานาชาติและประธานกรรมการประจำสหราชอาณาจักร กรุงเทพ บรัสเซล บูคาเรสต์ เคียฟ มาดริด มอสโก นิวเดลี ปารีส ปราก เซาเปาโล เซี่ยงไฮ้ และวอร์ซอที่มีบทบาทต่อเนื่อง และแม้จะประจำอยู่ที่กรุงลอนดอน เขาก็เดินทางไปมาระหว่างสำนักงานในประเทศต่างๆ อย่างสม่ำเสมอ

คริสเป็นนักออกแบบผู้เป็นที่ต้องการอย่างสูงจากความสามารถด้านอาคารที่หลากหลายและประสบการณ์ที่ช่ำชองในการทำงานกับมาสเตอร์แพลนขนาดใหญ่ รวมถึงงานสำนักงาน โรงแรม ร้านค้า และพื้นที่สันทนาการ

เขาออกแบบโครงการมามากมายในกว่า 50 ประเทศรอบโลก และมีความพยายามอย่างยิ่งยวดในอันที่จะทำให้อาคารทั้งหลายกลืนไปกับสภาพสิ่งแวดล้อมที่มีความแตกต่างทางวัฒนธรรมและเศรษฐกิจได้อย่างดีที่สุด

คริสพยายามพัฒนาคุณภาพของงานออกแบบอย่างสม่ำเสมอและทำให้แน่ใจว่าการออกแบบตามแนวคิดนั้นสามารถเกิดขึ้นได้จริงอย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ และทำให้สถานที่นั้นๆ ประสบความสำเร็จในเชิงพาณิชย์และสถาปัตยกรรม

Chris si unisce a Chapman Taylor nel 1979 e da allora svolge un ruolo importante nell'espansione del gruppo come studio di progettazione a livello globale. È uno dei quattro soci di Chapman Taylor e ha particolari responsabilità nella direzione strategica del business internazionale.

Chris è inoltre pienamente coinvolto nella direzione dei progetti e ha lavorato su progetti di diverse tipologie e dimensioni in oltre 60 paesi in tutto il mondo. Egli ritiene che il progetto architettonico debba essere un processo di collaborazione accuratamente gestito che trae ispirazione dal brief, dalla funzione e dal luogo.

Aree di competenza:

Masterplanning / Mixed use / Retail / Leisure / Office / Residential / Hospitality

Крис является частью компании Chapman Taylor с 1979 года и играет ключевую роль в расширении и развитии архитектурного проектирования на международном рынке. Он является одним из владельцев компании и отвечает за стратегическое направление международного бизнеса.

Крис по прежнему принимает активное участие в процессе ведения проектов и обладает мировым опытом в проектировании зданий любых видов и размеров в более чем 60 странах по всему миру. Крис убежден, что архитектурное проектирование – это, прежде всего, тщательно контролируемый совместный процесс, который черпает вдохновение в таких вещах, как задание на проектирование, функциональность и непосредственно место.

Области специализации:

Разработка генпланов/Многофункциональных комплексов/Торговых объектов/Развлекательных объектов/Офисных помещений/Жилых комплексов/Гостиничных комплексов

Chris ist seit 1979 bei Chapman Taylor und spielte eine wichtige Rolle beim Ausbau des Unternehmens als globales Design-Unternehmen. Er ist einer der Eigentümer von Chapman Taylor und trägt besondere Verantwortung für die strategische Ausrichtung des Auslandsgeschäfts.

Chris ist noch voll bei der Design-Leitung von Projekten involviert und hat bei verschiedenen Arten und Größen von Gebäuden in über sechzig Ländern der Welt gearbeitet. Er glaubt, dass Architektur ein sorgfältig gesteuerter kollaborativer Prozess ist, der durch das Briefing, die Funktion und den Ort inspiriert wird.

Schwerpunkte:

Masterplanung / Mixed-Use / Einzelhandel / Freizeitbauten / Bürobau/ Wohnungsbau / Hotelbauten

مدير مجلس إدارة المجموعة ، المملكة المتحدة

يعمل كريس في تشابمان تايلور منذ عام 1979 ولعب دورًا رئيسيًا في توسيع الممارسة كعمل تصميم عالمي. وهو أحد مالكي تشابمان تايلور ، ويتحمل مسؤولية خاصة عن التوجه الاستراتيجي للأعمال الدولية.

يشارك كريس بالكامل في قيادة تصميم المشاريع ، وقد عمل على العديد من أنواع وأحجام المباني المختلفة في أكثر من 60 دولة حول العالم. وهو يعتقد أن التصميم المعماري هو عملية تعاونية تتم ادارتها بعناية وتستمد الإلهام من الملخص والوظيفة والمكان.

مجالات الخبرة:

المخطط الرئيسي / الاستخدام المتعدد / المتاجر/ الترفيه / المكاتب / السكني / الفنادق

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