Architecture School CANTERBURY SEEKS ESTABLISHMENT

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30561, 2 October 1964, Page 1

Architecture School CANTERBURY SEEKS ESTABLISHMENT

The University of Canterbury is seeking to establish New Zealand’s second school of architecture in the next five years.

Government approval of its claim, supported by the last Dominion conference of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, would allow the completion of a scheme for inter-related studies in schools of engineering, forestry, fine arts, and architecture.

The programme for extensive development of inter-disciplinary courses in these four schools by 1970 and for similar developments in business administration, American studies, and possibly other broad subjects, was announced last evening by the ViceChancellor (Dr. L. L. Pownall). Dr. F. J. Llewellyn, chairman of the University Grants Committee, said this week that more than 100 requests for academic developments throughout the university system had been considered. A number of major projects had been picked out for further investigation and discussion with interested Government departments. A second school of architecture, for which Wellington also has made a claim, is

almost certainly among these requests. “With the national support of the Institute of Architects and the recent approval of a School of Forestry, our claim for a school of architecture seems firmly founded,” said Dr. Pownall. “We believe that ideally a school of architecture should be associated with strong schools of engineering, forestry, and fine arts,” said Dr. Pownall. “We will have all three.” The concept of interschool training envisaged studies of soils, silviculture, botany, structural and chemical engineering, business administration, law, psychology, design, and fine arts production, said Dr. Pownall. This would follow a seed from its growth to a tree to timber and by-products processing and use in building and furniture. There were many branches in all these, all of which Canterbury University and Lincoln College taught and all of which would contribute considerably to training in architecture.

Dr. Pownall said the School of Forestry was approved to open in 1969. Canterbury would like to open a school of architecture at the same time. From its existing resources the university planned other inter-faculty developments in 1965. A post-graduate course in business administration would open next year with the cooperation of the departments of accountancy, economics, law, psychology, and political science, and business specialists would probably be brought in. This development would be related to the combined courses planned in engineering, forestry, architecture, and fine arts. American studies was another new course for next year to cover American geography, history, literature, political science, and possibly economics. “In addition,” said Dr. Pownall, “we have plans for other new post-graduate courses, but their priorities must await analysis of the recent quinquennial grants.”