The second in our 2017 series of talks is by Professor Dean Hawkes.

His talk will focus on the work of Sir John Soane, in particular his house at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, the Law Courts at Westminster (long ago demolished, but remarkable), the Bank of England and the Dulwich Picture Gallery. When Sir John Soane died in 1837, Alexander Thomson was 20 years old. The two men were therefore, just, contemporaries. They also shared a deep engagement in applying the ‘classical language of architecture’, in Summerson’s terminology, in the transformation of two great cities, London and Glasgow. This lecture explores Soane’s response to London at the dawn of the 19th century.

We are delighted to confirm that the venue for this talk will be the Seona Reid Building at the Glasgow School of Art, providing an opportunity to experience the interior of Steven Holl’s new addition to the campus. Both Holl in Glasgow and Soane in London share a desire to manipulate and modulate light in their interiors.

Professor Dean Hawkes:
Emeritus Professor of Architectural Design, Welsh School of Architecture.
Emeritus Fellow, Darwin College, Cambridge.
Visiting Professor, Mackintosh School of Architecture, 2004-2009.
Four RIBA Awards for Architecture in partnership with Stephen Greenberg, 1983-1994.
RIBA Annie Spink Award for Architectural Education (2010),

His published works include:
The Environmental Tradition (1996)
The Environmental Imagination (2008)
Architecture and Climate (2012)
The buildings of Sir John Soane (1753-1837) are discussed in all the above.

A unique opportunity to see the BBC’s new documentary on the life and work of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson on the big screen, this event also features a Q&A with the director.

“David Hayman goes in search of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, the visionary architect who, a generation before Charles Rennie Mackintosh, transformed industrial Glasgow with some of the most exotic and exciting buildings in the world.”

The People’s History Show on STV Glasgow will include a 10minute segment on the legacy of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson.

“SPECULATIONS ON INFINITY”:

Short one-man play narrated by the man himself. This will be accompanied by a 1960s film on Thomson’s architecture from the NLS Film Archive. Thursday 13th April : 7.30pm in the John McLintock Hall, Dunmore St., Balfron. FREE but ticketed in advance (due to numbers). Tickets from Balfron Library

Hosted as part of the Southside Fringe Festival, join us for an evening exploring a selection of rarely screened archive film about the life of Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson, his buildings and how his unique architectural style influenced Glasgow in the 1800s and today. Thomson’s legacy is particularly prominent in the Southside, having completed villas, terraces, churches and urban planning projects in the area. Whilst his personal life during his most creative period also centred here, as on completion of his terrace at Moray Place Thomson also chose to relocate his family to the area.