Basic Biographical Details
| Name: | Richard Thomas Bigwood |
| Designation: | |
| Born: | c. 1927 |
| Died: | |
| Bio Notes: | Richard Thomas Bigwood was born about 1927. He studied for the diploma in architecture at the Architectural Association and for a further qualification in planning (at SP?). From 1952-61 he worked with the LCC in the Planning Division of the Architects Department. From February 1961 to October 1962 he worked with RMJM and led the planning team under Matthew in collaboration with Johnson-Marshall. Planning projects he was involved with during this period included the Belfast Regional survey and plan, Edinburgh University precinct, Salford Community and Shopping centre (£5m) the Administrative Centre for Islamabad and the national capital of West Pakistan. From October 1962 he was Executive Director of the Planning Research Unit, Department of Urban Design and Regional Planning University of Edinburgh under Percy Johnson-Marshall and Sir Robert Matthew until 1967 when their involvement ceased. He was elected ARIAS in 1964 and FRIBA in 1969, proposed by Percy Johnson-Marshall, Robert Hogg Matthew and Walter Bor. In 1968 the Planning Research Unit consisted of a multi-disciplinary team of highly trained and experienced full-time research fellows numbering from 5 to 20 during the previous six years. The Unit had prepared three major sub-regional plans: the first dating from 1966 was the Lothians Regional Survey covering 250,000 people and 133 square miles, embracing Livingston New Town and requiring an investment of £250m. This was commended by the Secretary of State and six Local Authorities. The second was the Central Borders survey, 1968, which was a plan for expansion involving a 15 year programme for 8 towns and their landward areas, 350 square miles with a proposed £50m of investment and an additional 25,000 people. This plan was commended by the Secretary of State. The third was the Grangemouth/Falkirk Regional Survey and Plan, 1968, which was a plan for urban growth involving 300,000 people and 100 square miles with £200m worth of investment. This too was commended by the Secretary of State and six local authorities. In his Fellowship Nomination Paper Bigwood lists a range of projects in which he had participated. These are listed with publications below. He also gave lectures and seminars and criticisms of work by students of the post graduate course in Civic Design and Regional Planning, in the Department of Urban Design and Regional Planning. He acted as joint supervisor of one MArch student, four MSc students and two Phd students. He was extensively responsible for three current research programmes : Planning for the Disabled, sponsored by Living Activities Committee of the Central Council for the Disabled; The Threshold Theory sponsored by the Centre for Environment Studies and Semiotics of Public Open Space (funded by the Science Research Council). In 1969 he was also working on a critical analysis of physical planning in the world, based on an award of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust in 1967 which sponsored a 6-month tour of Iran, India, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, nationalist China, Korea, Japan, Hawaii, the United States and Mexico. Bigwood moved to Northern Ireland before 1974. Planning reports: ‘Wealth not Want: a study in the World’s Resources’ APRR, 1952. London Plan: 1st Review, 1960, County Planning Report volume 1. Belfast Regional Survey and Plan, 1964 Lothian Regional Survey and Plan, 1966 Central Borders: a plan for extension, 1968 Grangemouth/Falkirk Regional survey and plan, 1968 Coleraine Regional Survey and plan, 1968 Publications: ‘Habituation Planning: a new orientation’ Paper dekivered at an International symposium on changing concepts of human habitation, Roorkee, India, December 1966 ‘Planning in Scotland’ Paper at International Planning Seminar, Dublin, April 1966 |
Private and Business Addresses
| The following private or business addresses are associated with this : | |||||
| Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | |
 | 60, Netherby Road, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | Before 1964 * | After 1984 | |
| 30, Dudley Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private | 1987 * | ||
| Mourne Grange, Camphill Community, Newry Road, Kilkeel, Newry, Northern Ireland | Private | 1994 | ||
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and Training
Employers
| The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | |||||
| Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | |
| Percy Johnson-Marshall & Associates | Early 1960s | |||
| Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners (RMJM) | Early 1960s | Member of planning team. | ||
RIBA
RIBA Proposers
| The following individuals proposed this for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details): | |||
| Name | Date proposed | Notes | |
| Walter George Bor | 16 July 1969 | For Fellowship |
| Percy Edwin Alan Johnson-Marshall | 16 July 1969 | For Fellowship |
| Robert Hogg Matthew | 16 July 1969 | For Fellowship |
Buildings and Designs
| This 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 | |
| 1961 | Belfast Regional Plan | Belfast | Northern Ireland | Deputy in charge of the Percy Johnson-Marshall team | ||
References
Bibliographic References
| The following books contain references to this : | ||||||
| Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | |
| RIBA | 1970 | RIBA Directory 1970 | |||
| RIBA | 1979 | Directory of members | |||
| RIBA | 1984 | RIBA Directory of members | |||
| RIBA | 1987 | RIBA Directory of Members 1987 | |||
| RIBA | 1994 | A Directory of RIBA Members | |||
Archive References
| The following archives hold material relating to this : | ||||
| Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | |
| RIAS, Rutland Square | Records of membership | ||
| RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | F no6825 (Combined Box 162) | |