BEST LONDON FACADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1936, Page 7

BEST LONDON FACADE.

New Zealander's Architectural Award. RECORD CREATED. (Received 9.30 a.m.) LONDON, May 10. A New Zealander, Mr. Reginald Uren, who is 30 years of age, was awarded the London architecture medal for the best facade on a London building erected during the past three years. He is the youngest member of his profession ever to have received the honour.

Mr. Uren lived in Petone, and was on the staff of the Wellington firm of Natusch and Sons before he worked his passage to England as a stoker on a cargo ship in 1931. While with Natusch and Son he sent samples of his work to the Auckland School of Architecture, where they were held up as examples to students. He assisted his firm in 1929 to win a competition for the best-designed foreshore at Petone. He left for England as soon as he had qualified for his A.N.Z.I.A. certificate, and was awaiting election as associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects when he won a competition for the best design for an exhibition hall in Manchester, organised by the promoters of the Manchester Building Trades Exhibition. He was successful against 93 competitors. In October, 1933, from among 280 competitors, his design for a new Town Hall in Hornsey, costing £200,000, was accepted. The Hornsey competition prize was £350, but Mr. Uren, who was given charge of the construction, was also expected to receive £5000 in fees. He told a London interviewer that while in New Zealand he had/had ambitions to become a great architect, and must therefore go to England. He had no money, but Fate took a hand, and, following desertion of a ship by her seamen in Wellington he signed on as a "greaser."