Kenneth Barden (1924 – 1988) was an architect, mural designer and painter in the UK. His tiled murals found outside and inside public buildings are examples of post-war public art. He was the principal architect for the builders George Wimpey and Co. Ltd. during part of his career.

Artistic career

He is best known for his murals of post-war public art. He had qualified as an architect, becoming an Associate of the

Royal Institute of British Architects 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 ...

. For part of his career he was the principal architect for the builders George. Wimpey and Co Ltd. In 1955 he was commissioned by the Hertfordshire and Essex Water Board to produce a decorative ceramic mural inside a Pump House in

Sawbridgeworth Sawbridgeworth is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, close to the border with Essex. It is east of Hertford and north of Epping. It is the northernmost part of the Greater London Built-up Area. History Prior to the Norman ...

that showed pump mechanisms. While working for George Wimpey and Co. Ltd, and together with J E Tyrrell, Chief Architectural Assistant to Gosport Borough Council, Barden was responsible for Seaward Tower and Harbour Tower, two sixteen-storey tower blocks built in 1963 on the Esplanade in Gosport. The surfaces of the tower blocks are covered in mosaic murals designed by Barden that rise the full 135 foot height of the buildings. They were controversial initially but are now a tourist attraction. The tiles were produced by Carter and Co of Poole. Barden was also responsible for two ceramic murals in Halifax swimming pool inspired by British pond life. The building was designed by the borough architects FH Hoyles and JL Berbiers and was opened in 1966. The future of these murals was put at risk when construction of a new sports centre including a swimming pool was proposed for Halifax in 2017. This included demolition, or possible alternative use of the 1966 building. A proposal for the building to be given protected listed building status was rejected in 2020. The building was closed in 2020 due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

and was damaged significantly by cold, including to the pool hall walls and interior tiles, resulting in permanent closure. Barden also exhibited works in watercolour and oils twice at the

Royal Academy Summer Exhibition The Summer Exhibition is an open art exhibition held annually by the Royal Academy in Burlington House, Piccadilly in central London, England, during the months of June, July, and August. The exhibition includes paintings, prints, drawings, sc ...

, in 1969 and 1972 and at

Royal Institute of Painters in Watercolours Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

exhibitions in the 1970s. One of his paintings is in the collection at Beecroft Art Gallery in

Southend-on-Sea Southend-on-Sea (), commonly referred to as Southend (), is a coastal city and unitary authority area with borough status in southeastern Essex, England. It lies on the north side of the Thames Estuary, east of central London. It is bordered ...

, Essex.

Early and personal life

Barden was brought up in

Huddersfield Huddersfield is a market town in the Kirklees district in West Yorkshire, England. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Kirklees district. The town is in the foothills of the Pennines. The River Holme's confluence into ...

when he attended Crosland Moor School and then Huddersfield College of Art. His father, Harry Barden was a master printer. In 1947 he began study at the

Royal College of Art The Royal College of Art (RCA) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom, with campuses in South Kensington, Battersea and White City. It is the only entirely postgraduate art and design university in the United Kingdom. It offe ...

in London, finally becoming an Associate of the Royal College of Art. He married Edwina Partridge Clarke and they had 2 sons.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barden, Kenneth 1924 births 1988 deaths Architects from Yorkshire Public art Associates of the Royal Institute of British Architects Muralists British muralists Ceramic art People from Huddersfield