Basic Biographical Details Name: | Robert Russell Steedman | Designation: | | Born: | 1929 | Died: | | Bio Notes: | Robert Russell Steedman was born at Batu Gajah, Malaysia on 3 January 1929, the son of Robert Smith Steedman, mining engineer, Siam and Federated Malay States, and his wife Helen Hope Brazier. The Steedmans returned to the UK in 1933, their son Robert being educated at Loretto 1942-26, followed by national service in the Royal West African Frontier Force in which he was commissioned 2nd lieutenant.
From 1949 Robert Steedman studied at the School of Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art where he was awarded a travelling scholarship in 1952. His future partner James Shepherd Morris (born 1931) also gained a travelling scholarship in that year and together they made their way across Switzerland and Italy to Greece on a motorbike. Their primary destination was Zurich where on their second visit they met Sigfried Giedion and Alfred Roth, the latter then Professor at the Technische Hochschule and secretary general of the still-ongoing CIAM, the Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne. They also met Alvar Aalto and found winter employment with Alfred Roth, previously of Marcel Breuer’s office, then engaged on the replanning of Zurich. In the spring of 1953 they returned through France and Spain to resume their studies at Edinburgh College of Art where Robert Matthew was now in charge of the School; and, in 1954, while still students, they were given the commission for the Tomlinson house at Cramond, which they designed but was executed under the supervision of Morris’s father Thomas Morris, an architect, as both Morris and Steedman were in the United States in 1955 (he was admitted ARIBA that year) with Fulbright scholarships to study for a Master’s degree in Professor Ian McHarg’s newly set up Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. The course included classes with Philip Johnson and Louis Kahn.
After graduation Steedman travelled extensively throughout the United States, visiting houses and other buildings by Mies van der Rohe, Richard Neutra, Frank Lloyd Wright, Philip Johnson, and Louis Khan, architects whose work he had admired as a student in Edinburgh and camping wherever possible in the impressive national Parks.
He then visited Japan, travelling by cargo ship across the Pacific, and spent some weeks mostly in the old capital of Kyoto, studying the traditional gardens, houses and palaces, where the modular plans and flexibility of spaces were inspirational.
In 1956 Robert returned to Edinburgh via Singapore, and set up the office of Morris & Steedman in his flat at No 1 Albyn Place, drawing up the plans, to designs in conjunction with James Morris, for the Wilson and Silitto houses, and supervising their construction. He was also a lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art, and worked part-time for Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall to survive financially.
Shortly after Morris’ return from a world-wide study tour in 1959, he joined Steedman, who by then had set up practice at 37 Young Street Lane North, Edinburgh, and shortly after John Holt, architect to the South East Regional Hospital Board recommended their appointment for the new buildings at the Princes Margaret Rose Hospital in Edinburgh. This included a large Clinical and Nurses Training Unit, which brought them a national reputation when completed in 1965.
It was quickly followed by commissions from the Universities of Edinburgh, Stirling and Strathclyde and numerous other public, industrial, office and hotel projects. In parallel they designed an extremely fine series of elegant modernist private houses developed from their experience in America which received widespread coverage in the Press and magazines. There was few firms of landscape architects in Scotland in the 1970s and James Morris and Robert Steedman were employed in a broad range of projects, from caravan sites for the Caravan Club (Yellowcraig was the first in the UK to receive a Civic Trust Award), to large schemes in connection with oil and gas related developments for BP, Shell and Esso. The Tank Farm at Dalmeny received the European Architectural Heritage Business and Industry Award). University campus plans, business parks and the stand at the Glasgow Garden Festival for the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland received a Silver Medal. ‘A Lighting Vision for Edinburgh’ and the ‘Relocation of the Edinburgh Tattoo’ were major studies.
Examples of the Firm’s work have been hung regularly in the Royal Scottish Academy, published in the national and international press and been featured in a number of books. It was also the recipient of many awards and commendations over the years. Among these were ten Civic Trust Awards for a variety of new build and restoration works, two RIBA Awards for Scotland, one of which was for the Countryside Commission Conference Centre and Offices at Battleby.
The practice also won The European Architectural Heritage Medal for the restoration and conversion of the Perth Waterworks into an art gallery in 1975, and the Annual Award of the Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland in both 1977 and 1989.
Robert Steedman was elected an Associate of the Royal Scottish Academy in 1973 and a full academician in 1979, he became a member of Council in 1981, and for a final time in 2014. He was Secretary of the Academy between 1983 and 1990 and Deputy President in 1982-3 and 2000-2001. He was also elected a member of the newly created RSA Foundation in 2013. From 1974 until 1988 he served as a governor of Edinburgh College of Art and from 1983 until 1996 he was a member of the Royal Fine Art Commission and was Deputy Chairman for the last two years. He was a trustee of St Andrews Preservation Trust from 2002.
Steedman was also a member of the Countryside Commission for Scotland from 1980-88, an Advisor on the Management of Mountain Areas from 1989 and chairman of the Central Scotland Woodlands Project with four Regions of Scotland involved in an attempt to create a woodland corridor between Edinburgh and Glasgow. He also served on the Council of the National trust for Scotland from 1999-2004, was a judge for the Annual Award Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland 1995-99 and the Saltire Patrick Geddes Award.
Steedman was awarded the OBE in 1997 for services to Architecture and the Built Environment. Both Morris and Steedman retired in 2002 and the practice and offices were sold to Ne Begg, which became Morris & Steedman Associates, Robert Steedman completing the commission for the new entrance, steps, ramps and porch for St Giles cathedral with that firm, for which he remains a consultant.
In semi-retirement Steedman has received a number of further honours: D.Litt. from the University of St Andrews in 2006 and D.Univ from the University of Stirling in 2011; a lifetime achievement award from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland in 2009 and a similar award in the same year from the Scottish Design Awards. He accepted the invitation to be Honorary President of the St Andrews Preservation Trust in 2014.
Robert Steedman’s marriage to Susan Scott was dissolved in 1974: they had one son and two daughters. In 1977 he married Martha Hamilton, headmistress of St Leonard’s School, St Andrews.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 38, Young Street Lane North, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | | | Expanded into this as well as the office grew but in 1994 they were soly in this part. | | 37, Young Street Lane North, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | After 1960 | | | | 1, Albyn Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1960 | | |
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | Morris & Steedman | 1957 | | Partner | |
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | | Caravan Site, Yellowcraig, Direton | Yellowcraig, Direton | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | (?) | Esso Motor Hotel | Erskine | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | | Oil Tank Farm | Dalmeny | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Landscaping to conceal oil storage tanks. | | 1955 | Avisfield | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1958 | Royal High School | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Proposals for science teaching rooms on the south side of Regent Road, in conjunction with John L Paterson | | 1958 | Wilson House | Lasswade | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1960 | 65-67 Ravelston Dykes Road | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1960 | Craigleith House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 1960 | Princess Margaret Rose Hospital (included clinical and nurses' training unit) | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions, including Clinical Unit, lecture theatre and prosthetic department | | 1960 | Sillitto House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1961 | Berry House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1961 | Cheyne House | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1961 | House, St Thomas Road | Grange | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1961 | Tigh-na-Uisge | Kilchrenan | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1962 | Holden House | East Kilbride | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1963 | Carron House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1963 | Police Station | Liberton Dams | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1964 | Avisfield | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Further work - bedroom wing extension and later alteration to the garage | | 1964 | Calderstone House | East Kilbride | | Lanarkshire | Scotland | | | 1964 | Marchwell | Silverburn | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1964 | Meadowland | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1964 | The Quarry | Gullane | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1966 | 1 Glenlockhart Bank | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1966 | University of Edinburgh, Student Centre | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1966 | University of Stirling, Nuffield Staff Houses | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1966 | University of Stirling, Nuffield Staff Houses | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1966 | University of Stirling, Nuffield Staff Houses | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1967 | University of Stirling, Principal's House | Stirling | | Stirlingshire | Scotland | | | 1968 | Esso Motor Hotel | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Included landscaping | | 1968 | Minaki | North Berwick | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1969 | Bush House, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology | | | Midlothian | Scotland | | | 1969 | Christian Salvesen Offices | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | Late 1960s | Flats | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1970s | Braefoot Sheel Expro and Esso Chemical buildings | Braefoot | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1970 | Crest Hotel | Erskine | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | | | 1970 | University of Strathclyde, Wolfson Centre (Bio-Engineering Building) | | | Glasgow | Scotland | | | 1970 | Villa, 18a Queen's Crescent | Newington | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | c. 1970 | House for Peter Balfour | Humbie | | East Lothian | Scotland | | | 1971 | Almondell Footbridge, Almondell Country Park | | | West Lothian | Scotland | | | 1971 | Countryside Commission visitor centre | Battleby | | Perthshire | Scotland | | | 1971 | General Accident office | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1971 | Lin's Mill | Kirkliston | | West Lothian | Scotland | Conversion to house | | 1972 | Barend House and holiday cottages | Sandyhills | | Dumfriesshire | Scotland | | | 1972 | Perth Waterworks | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Conversion to tourist information centre | | 1976 | Macvitties Guest & Co / McVities Guest & Co shop and tea room | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Front wall taken down and rebuilt with new dormer | | 1976 | Meadowland | Perth | | Perthshire | Scotland | Additions | | 1976 | Mossmorran, Shell office building and petrochemical works | Mossmorran | | Fife | Scotland | Office | | c. 1976 | Holiday village | Dalbeattie | | Kirkcudbrightshire | Scotland | | | 1977 | Gigha Hotel | Ardminish | | Argyll | Scotland | Rear wings | | 1977 | Woodcote | Fala | | Midlothian | Scotland | From 1977. | | 1980 | Bush House, Institute of Terrestrial Ecology | | | Midlothian | Scotland | Pitched roof added | | 1981 | Mossmorran, Shell office building and petrochemical works | Mossmorran | | Fife | Scotland | Petrochemical works, administration building, including landscaping around complex | | Before 1981 | Balerno village centre | Balerno | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Restoration and pedestrianisation of village in particular the Conservation Area | | Before 1981 | Housing developments for Bovis | | | | Scotland | | | Before 1981 | IBM office | | | Glasgow | Scotland | Interior design and layout | | 1982 | Peebles Swimming Pool | Peebles | | | | | | 1984 | Dental Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Proposed | | 1986 | St Leonard's School for Girls, Music School | St Andrews | | Fife | | | | 1988 | Muir of Blebo | Blebocraigs | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1990s | Flats, St Patrick's Square | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1990s | House for Mr and Mrs Robin Young | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | | 1990s | House for the Earl of Haddo | | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | | | 1990s | Scotland's Lighthouse Museum | Fraserburgh | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Reconstruction from ruined lighthouse | | 1990s(?) | St Leonard's School, 6th Form House | St Andrews | | Fife | | | | 1990s | Taychreggan Hotel | Loch Awe | | Argyll | Scotland | | | 1990s | Thainstone, offices | Inverurie | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | | | 1994 | House of Formartine | Haddo | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | | | 1995 | Kinnaird Head Castle and Lighthouse | Kinnaird Head | | Aberdeenshire | Scotland | Museum of Scottish Lighthouses | | 1997 | Garvald Home Farm | Garvald | | West Lothian | Scotland | Alterations and additions | | 2004 | Corrour | | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Complex of ancillary buildings refurnished or rebuilt (s of Lodge) |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Bailey, Rebecca M | 1996 | Scottish architects' papers: a source book | | Edinburgh: The Rutland Press | p131 | | Glendinning, Miles | 1997 | Rebuilding Scotland: The Postwar Vision, 1945-75 | | Tuckwell Press Ltd | p32, p160 Avisfield p115-124 Chapters 'The Censorship of Neglect: Morris & Steedman's Private Houses' and 'Morris & Steedman and the 'Small Scottish House'' | | Pride, Glen L | 1999 | The Kingdom of Fife | 2nd Edition | The Rutland Press | p96 | | Willis, Peter | 1977 | New architecture in Scotland | | | p14-15, p18-21 Principal's House p15, p17 Countryside Commission visitor centre p17 Countryside Commission Centre p42-3 University of Edinburgh Student Centre p24-7 Private House - James Shepherd Morris |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Prospect | | 135 | | p50 (Article on Robert Steedman). | | RIAS Annual Report | 2009 | | | Date of Award from RIAS. Therefore probably date of annual report | | RIAS Quarterly | 2010 | | Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) | Spring. pp30-34. Interview with Robert Steedman. |
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