AWARDS MADE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 309, 30 December 1940, Page 3

AWARDS MADE.

CATHEDRAL DESIGNS. SUCCESS OF AUCKLANDERS. Awards in the competition for an Anglican Cathedral design for Auckland are announced in a cable received from London by the General Trust Board of tlie Auckland Diocese. The winner is Mr. Charles Towle, A.R.T.8.A., A.N .Z.1.A., former Auckland architect, now in Sydney, who becomes entitled to the premium of £1000 payable under the competition. The other awards, for which tlie premiums are £400, £200 and £100, respectively, are:— Second. —Mr. Amvas 1). Connell. A.R.1.8.A.. A.K.Z.1.A., Well House. Well, near l«ong Sutton, Hampshire, Knglaiul. Third.—Mr. Fergus CI. F. Shepparii. A.X.Z.1.A.. .*>.*>. ('lia Hi nor Street. St. Helier's Ha v. Auckland, and Mr. .T. K. P. Blake Kelly. B.Areli.. A.R.1.8.A.. A.X.Z.1.A., P.O. Box 820, Auckland. Fourth.—Mr. T. K. Donner. B.Areli.. A.R.1.8.A., A.X.Z.1.A., and Mr. H. U. Bartlett, Bank of Xew Zealand Chambers, Swanson Street, Auckland.

The premiums are to be paid within three months of the receipt of the assessor's award, which is expected to reach Xew Zealand by mail late in ■January or early in February. It is understood that between 40 and 30 designs were submitted to the assessor, Sir Giles (iilbert Scott, the famous British architect, who designed the Liverpool Cathedral. Winner's Career. Mr. Charles Towle. winner of the first award, is an old boy of King's College. He began his career in the office of Messrs. Bain ford and Pierce, architects, of Auckland, and after serving in the war completed his architectural studies in England. Later he assisted in supervising the building of a new palace for the Maharajah of Alwar, in India. On his return to Auckland he was engaged chiefly on domestic architecture. Seven years ago he designed tlie new Christian Science Church in Symonds Street. He also designed the Anglican Church at Te Kauwhata, a modern version of Selwyn architecture, and two years ago prepared % design for a combined Anglican church and parish hall at St. HeiierV. Early in 193!) he left Auckland for Sydney, where he has been engaged in designing aerodrome buildings *Yor construction in Xew South Wales and Queensland by the Commonwealth Government.

Mr. A. D. Connell, who left Kew Zealand for Upland in 1924, lias won distinction for his work as a pioneer of the modern or international style of architectures in Britain. In 1931 he entered into partnership with hi« brother in-law, Mr. B. R. Ward, who also transferred to England. The other successful competitors are all former students under Professor C. R. Knight at the Auckland Cniversitv School of Architecture. Mr. BlakeKelly last year designed a metropolitan Catholic Cathedral and prepared a model which was exhibited by the Auckland School of Architecture during the centennial celebrations.

c ° nf l'tionfi of the competition pro\ ide that all the competing designs shall be publicly exhibited in Auckland. In terms of the competition, those taking part were required to be members and associates of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, either in the Dominion or abroad. The cathedral was in-7 ave a nornial seating capacity of l_oo people, three chapels and a bell tower, to be of earthquake-resistinjr materials, and to have an estimated cost not exceeding £200.000. It was to be suitable for construction on the site originally secured by Bishop Sclwvn and now partly occupied bv the Parn'ell renins Club's courts.

In 103.. a bequest of £03.000 towards the cost w*s left by Misri Mina Tait Horton. It is estimated that this sum would require to be raised to about £1<K),000 before the first part of the buildmjj could be commenced. Owing to iast f dlOCe f an ai, thorities decided funds postpone a campaign for