Basic Biographical Details Name: | Harold Ernest Buteux | Designation: | | Born: | 1914 | Died: | March 2000 | Bio Notes: | Harold Ernest Buteux was born in 1914 and educated at Trinity School, London. He initially trained as a structural engineer. His architectural training was interrupted by the Second World War. Bureux joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm as an observer on Swordfish aeroplanes.
After the cease of hostilities he completed his architectural training being elected ARIBA in 1948. He also became a member of the Town Planning Institute and a qualified landscape architect. He then worked with the LCC in the office of Sir Leslie Martin. In 1951 he moved to a post as group architect with Stevenage New Town. He was responsible for building factories, schools and houses as part of the New Town Development Plan. He remained in Stevenage until 1956 when he moved to a post as the Senior Architect (Housing) with the City of Birmingham.
Buteux was appointed Chief Technical Officer of the Scottish Special Housing Association in February 1959. He became an Associate of the RIAS the following year. He remained with the SSHA until 1978. He promoted a more comprehensive planning approach than was prevalent in public sector housing at the time and always insisted on the integration of landscape design. He fought against the tide of high-rise developments and championed low-density schemes, although he realised that balancing ideals and commitment to standards with practical considerations and economics was very difficult. During his tenure of this post the Association won a number of design awards, culminating in a Europa Nostra Medal in 1979.
Buteux was receptive to new ideas and his use of computers was ahead of his time. In his paper 'Houses for One Hundred Years or More' rejected the current demolish and build policies of the time. His insistence on planned maintenance, modernisation and rehabilitation of the housing stock foreshaowed things to come. His personal contribution was recognised in the award of an OBE in 1969.
Outwith his professional life he was a devoted family man. He also enjoyed walking holidays in the Lake District and at weekends he spent as much time as he could sailing on the Forth on his yacht which he shared with his great architect friend, Hamish Haswell-Smith.
In his retirement Buteux moved away from Scotland. He occupied his lively mind by studying for the degress of BA and MA in English Literature, completing the latter at the age of 72. He died in March 2000. As a person he had much energy and enthusiasm as well as impeccable professional and personal integrity.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 36, Blackett Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | | | | | Chalfont St Peters, Buckinghamshire, England | Private | | | | | Goffs Oaks, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, England | Private | | 2000 | | | 10, Walkern Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England | Private | 1955 * | | | | 19, Carnethy Avenue, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | c. 1960 | | | | 15/21, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | 1970s | | Address of SSHA |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA ProposalsThis proposed the following individuals for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date proposed | Notes | | Thomas Harley Haddow | 5 June 1968 | for Fellowship |
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 | | | Kinneil Park Housing | Bo'ness / Borrowstouness | | West Lothian | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer to SSHA | | 1960 | Clydebank Core Development Area, Radnor Park | Clydebank | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | As Chief Technical Advisor for SSHA | | 1960 | SSHA Housing, Maryhill Barracks site | Maryhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | Chief technical officer for SSHA | | 1961 | Four tower blocks, Carron Street, Carron Street Development | Springburn | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer of the SSHA | | 1961 | Hutchesontown / Gorbals Area D | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer of SSHA | | 1961 | Wyndford (SSHA) Housing Scheme | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer for SSHA | | 1962 | Fortrose Street Housing | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer to SSHA | | 1963 | Broomhill Housing | Broomhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer to SSHA | | 1963(?) | Whiteinch-Broomhill Housing Development | | | Glasgow | | SSHA Architect | | 1964 | SSHA Housing, Broomhill | Broomhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | With SSHA | | 1964 | SSHA Housing, Gorbals | Gorbals | | Glasgow | Scotland | With SSHA | | 1964 | SSHA Housing, Gorget Avenue | | | Glasgow | Scotland | £3m contract to be negotiated between SSHA and Gilbert Ash (Scotland) Ltd for multi-storey blocks | | 1964 | SSHA Housing, North Kelvinside (North Kelvinside 'A') | Kelvinside | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Architect for SSHA | | 1964 | Tower Block, Collina Street, Maryhill CDA Area A | Maryhill | | Glasgow | Scotland | as architect for SSHA | | 1965 | Anderston Cross Core Development Area | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer of SSHA | | 1966 | Meikle Arden site housing | Cove | | Dunbartonshire | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer of SSHA | | 1967 | Four 19-storey tower blocks, Wester Common Road, North Kelvin CDA Area A | Possilpark | | Glasgow | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer of the SSHA | | 1967 | SSHA blocks of flats | | | Glasgow | Scotland | As chief technical officer for SSHA. | | 1972 | Tweedbank housing | Galashiels | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer | | 1977 | Park Mains Housing | Erskine | | Renfrewshire | Scotland | As Chief Technical Officer |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A | 1996 | A History of Scottish Architecture | | | p594 | | Glendinning, Miles and Muthesius, Stefan | 1994 | Tower Block: Modern Public Housing in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland | | Yale University Press: New Haven and London | p369 Whiteinch-Broomhill p381 Gazetteer 2 | | RIBA | 1955 | Kalendar 1954-1955 | | | | | RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | | | | | Willis, Peter | 1977 | New architecture in Scotland | | | p8 Kinneil Park Housing |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Architect and Building News | 27 December 1967 | | | p1003 Whiteinch-Broomhill | | Architects Journal | 7 December 1966 | | | p1405 Whiteinch-Broomhill | | Builder | 27 February 1959 | | | 'SSHA Appointment' p433 | | Builder | 10 July 1964 | | | p100 | | Builder | 14 August 1964 | | | p346 | | Builder | 22 January 1965 | | | p220 Wyndford SSHA | | RIAS Newsletter | June 2000 | v11, no5 | | Obituary | | RIAS Newsletter | August 2000 | v11, no6 | | Death notice |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | | |
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