Rick Mather (May 30, 1937 – April 20, 2013) was an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
-born
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
working in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Born in
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous co ...
and awarded a B.arch. at the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
in 1961, he came to
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in 1963 and worked at the architectural firm
Lyons Israel Ellis for two years. He became a leading figure at the Architectural Association in the 1970s, and in 1973 founded his own practice, Rick Mather Architects.
Rick Mather Architects
Mather set up his own practice, Rick Mather Architects, in 1973. The partners at Rick Mather Architects Gavin Miller and Stuart Cade have since launched a new practice MICA, which will complete the remaining RMA projects, whilst simultaneously working on its own strategic masterplans, buildings and landscapes.
Style
Mather was widely respected for his sensitive and carefully considered approach, and his innovation in low energy design. Rick’s vision and insight, with its clear logic, and elegant articulation, is reflected in many award winning buildings, both in the UK and abroad. Characteristics of his buildings include extensive use of structural glass and natural lighting of interior spaces, respect for existing buildings, and
sustainability
Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...
.
Work
Mather oversaw many significant buildings, including the Ashmolean Museum, Keble College, Dulwich Picture Gallery, together with the masterplan for London’s Southbank Centre. His built projects include:
* School of Education and Information Systems (1980, now housing School of Education and Norwich Business School),
Climatic Research Unit
The Climatic Research Unit (CRU) is a component of the University of East Anglia and is one of the leading institutions concerned with the study of natural and anthropogenic climate change.
With a staff of some thirty research scientists and s ...
(1988; RIBA Award) and development plan for the campus,
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and 26 schools of study. The annual income of the institution f ...
.
* ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' headquarters,
London Docklands
London Docklands is the riverfront and former docks in London. It is located in inner east and southeast London, in the boroughs of London Borough of Southwark, Southwark, London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Tower Hamlets, London Borough of ...
(1991).
* Series of restaurants for the Zen chain in London, Hong Kong and Montreal (1985-1991).
* Technology Tower,
London Metropolitan University
London Metropolitan University, commonly known as London Met, is a public university, public research university in London, England. The University of North London (formerly the Polytechnic of North London) and London Guildhall University (f ...
(2000).
* Masterplan for
Southbank Centre
Southbank Centre is a complex of artistic venues in London, England, on the South Bank of the River Thames (between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge).
It comprises three main performance venues (the Royal Festival Hall including the Nat ...
, London (2000 to date).
* Arco Building (1995; RIBA Award, Civic Trust Award, British Construction Award), Sloane-Robinson building (2002; RIBA Award, Civic Trust Award, Brick Award, Oxford Preservation Trust Award) and
H B Allen Centre
The H B Allen Centre is the graduate centre of Keble College, one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England.
Background
The H B Allen Centre is named for Heather Barbara "Mickie" Allen, founder of the H B Allen Charitab ...
building (former Acland Hospital site, 2016–18) at
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College () is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to th ...
.
* Master plan, Gower Building (1997) and Jubilee Sports Centre (2004) for
Highfield Campus
Highfield Campus is the main campus of the University of Southampton and is located in Southampton, southern England. It is the largest of the University's campuses with most of the students studying there. The campus is also the location of the ...
of
University of Southampton
, mottoeng = The Heights Yield to Endeavour
, type = Public research university
, established = 1862 – Hartley Institution1902 – Hartley University College1913 – Southampton University Coll ...
.
* Klein House,
Hampstead
Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...
(1998; RIBA Award and runner-up for
Stirling Prize
The Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize is a British prize for excellence in architecture. It is named after the architect James Stirling, organised and awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The S ...
).
![Dulwich Picture Gallery TQ3373 142](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d2/Dulwich_Picture_Gallery_TQ3373_142.jpg)
* Extension and refurbishment of
Dulwich Picture Gallery
Dulwich Picture Gallery is an art gallery in Dulwich, South London, which opened to the public in 1817. It was designed by Regency architect Sir John Soane using an innovative and influential method of illumination. Dulwich is the oldest publi ...
, London (1999; RIBA Award, Civic Trust Award, AIA Award).
* ISMA Centre for the University of Reading (1999; RIBA Award, Civic Trust Award)
![Propeller, National Maritime Museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Propeller%2C_National_Maritime_Museum.jpg)
*
Wallace Collection
The Wallace Collection is a museum in London occupying Hertford House in Manchester Square, the former townhouse of the Seymour family, Marquesses of Hertford. It is named after Sir Richard Wallace, who built the extensive collection, along w ...
Centenary Project, London (2000).
* New galleries and refurbishment for
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum (NMM) is a maritime museum in Greenwich, London. It is part of Royal Museums Greenwich, a network of museums in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Like other publicly funded national museums in the United ...
,
Greenwich
Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross.
Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...
(1995-9; Civic Trust Award) and Masterplan for Maritime Greenwich
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
landscape (1998–2003).
* School of Architecture,
University of Lincoln
, mottoeng = Freedom through wisdom
, established = 1861 – Hull School of Art1905 – Endsleigh College1976 – Hull College1992 – University of Humberside1996 – University of Lincolnshire and Humberside2001 †...
, Brayford campus (2003; RIBA Award, Shortlisted for the Prime Ministers Award for Better Public Buildings).
* Lyric Theatre Hammersmith (2004).
* Towner Gallery,
Eastbourne
Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...
(2005-9; RIBA Award, British Design Award, Sussex Heritage Trust Award)
![Jmuad](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Jmuad.jpg)
*
Art and Design Academy
The John Lennon Art and Design Building (formerly the Art and Design Academy) in Liverpool, England, houses Liverpool John Moores University's School of Art and Design. The school was formerly located at the Grade II listed Liverpool College of ...
,
Liverpool John Moores University
, mottoeng = Fortune favours the bold
, established = 1823 – Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts1992 – Liverpool John Moores University
, type = Public
, endowment =
, coor ...
(2008; RIBA Award).
* Ashmolean Museum Masterplan and Expansion
Ashmolean
The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology () on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is Britain's first public museum. Its first building was erected in 1678–1683 to house the cabinet of curiosities that Elias Ashmole gave to the University o ...
, Oxford (2009; RIBA Award, Shortlisted for the Stirling Prize 2010, Building - Project of the Year Award).
* Stowe School Masterplan (2001-2020) and Girls' Boarding Houses (2008; RIBA Award).
* Barking Town Centre London Road Masterplan
* Central Milton Keynes Residential Quarter
*
Corpus Christi College Auditorium, Oxford, Oxford (2009; RIBA Award).
* Sunken library extension,
The Queen's College, Oxford
The Queen's College is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford, England. The college was founded in 1341 by Robert de Eglesfield in honour of Philippa of Hainault. It is distinguished by its pred ...
(2006–17).
* East Range,
Mansfield College, Oxford
Mansfield College, Oxford is one of the Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. The college was founded in Birmingham in 1838 as a college for Nonconformist (Protestantism), Non ...
(2014).
* Campus wide masterplan and expansion of the
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, or VMFA, is an art museum in Richmond, Virginia, United States, which opened in 1936. The museum is owned and operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. Private donations, endowments, and funds are used for the su ...
, Richmond, Virginia USA (2010). (RIBA Winner 2011).
* James Allen's Community Music Centre (
RIBA
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...
Competition Winner 2008).
* North Harlow Masterplan (2010-).
* Barking Skills Centre (2009-).
* South Kilburn residential development, Brent, London (2009-)
* Chester Balmore residential development, Camden, London (2010-)
Further reading
*
*
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mather, Rick
1937 births
2013 deaths
20th-century American architects
Architects from Portland, Oregon
University of Oregon alumni
People associated with the Ashmolean Museum
American emigrants to the United Kingdom