NEW CATHEDRAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23851, 30 December 1940, Page 8

NEW CATHEDRAL

DESIGN COMPETITION AUCKLANDERS' SUCCESS THREE PLACES OBTAINED The General Trust Board of the Diocese of Auckland has received cabled advice from London of the assessor s award of the winning designs in the competition for the plans of the proposed Anglican Cathedral for Auckland. The placing of the first four competitors is as follows: — First". Mr. Charles Towle, A.R.1.8.A., A.N.Z.1.A., 901-2 Barrack House, 16 Barrack Street, Sydney, New South Wales. Second.—Mr. Amyas D. Council, A.1t.1.8.A., A.X.Z.1.A., Well House, Well, near Long Sutton, Hampshire, Engla ml. Third.—Mr. Fergus G. F. Sheppard, A.N.Z.1.A., 35 Challinor Street, St. Ifeliers Bay, Auckland, and Mr. J. RP. Blake-Kelly, B.Arch., A.R.T.8.A., A.N.Z.T.A., P.O. Box 529, Auckland. Fourth.—Mr. T. K. Donner, B.Arch., A.R.1.8.A., A.N.Z.T.A", and Mr. H. G. Bartlett, A.N.Z.1.A., Bank of New Zealand Chambers, Swanson Street, A ucklaud. Premiums Payable Premiums of £IOOO, £4OO, £2OO and £11)0 are payable to the authors of the designs awarded first, second, third and fourth places respectively. These premiums are to be paid within three months of the receipt of the assessor s award, which, it is anticipated, will reach Auckland within the next few weeks. The assessor was Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, Hon. D.C.L., Hon. LL.D. (Liverpool), R. A., F.K.1.8.A. it is understood that between 40 and 50 designs were submitted to him for adjudication. . The author of the winning design, Mr. Charles Towle, is an old boy of lying's College and before the last war was in the office of Messrs. Bamford and Pierce, architects, Auckland. Alter serving in the war he completed his studies in England and later went to India, where he assisted iri supervising the erection of a new palace for the Maharajah of Alwar. Returning to Auckland, he worked mainly on house design, but in 1933 lie was engaged to plan the new Christian Science Church in Svmonds Street. He also designed the Bank of New South Wales at Rotorua and the Anglican Church at Te Kauwhata, the latter a modern version of a Selwvn church.

Mr. Towle removed to Sydney early last year, and has since been employed in designing aerodrome buildings in New South Wales and Queensland for the Commonwealth Government. Auckland Graduate Mr. A. 1). Council, whose design was placed second, is a New Zealander who went to England in 1924 and has since had a distinguished career as one of the pioneers of the modern or international style of architecture in Britain. From 1931 onward he was in partnership with his brother-in-law, Mr. B. R. Ward,, another New Zealander, who went to England in the same year. The winners of the third and fourth plaees are all young Auckland architects and former students under Professor C. R. Knight at the School^ of Architecture, Auckland Lniversity College. . . The result of the competition is regarded as highly creditable to the architectural profession in Auckland, and especially to the School of Architecture. considering the large number of entrants.' the wide field from which they were drawn, and the high standing' of the adjudicator. Sir Giles Gilbert Scott. The conditions ol the competition require all the competing designs to be publicly exhibited in Auckland. Owing to war conditions it is impossible to say when this will be done/ The Cathedral Scheme The cathedral scheme has been undertaken in pursuance of the will of the late Miss Mina Tait Horton. who died in May. T9."V>, bequeathing the residue of her estate to tlie cathedral building fund. The will required that an architectural competition should be held, that the promoters should accept a design and commence the building within seven and ten years respectively of the testator's death. The competition, which was held in co-operation with the New Zealand Institute of Architects and the Royal Institute of British Architects, was open to members and associates oi the former body, residing in the Dominion or elsewhere. They were called upon to design a cathedral capable of seating normally 12ol) people, with three chapels and a bell tower, and of earthquake-resisting construction. The estimated cost of the completed building was not to exceed £•200,000. and it was to be designed to stand upon the site set apart by Bishop Selwyn and now occupied in part by the courts of the I'arnell Tennis Club. Owing to the war. the diocesan authorities last year postponed the appointment of an organiser for the cathedral fund. It had been estimated that about .£,'10.000 would have to be obtained by public subscription to supplement Miss Horton s bequest ot approximately £03.000 and funds already in hand, before the first part of the building could be commenced.