THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG
NEW DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE
Professor R. Gordon Brown. M.A.. F.R.I.A.S., A.R.I.B.A., A.A.Dip.
The University of Hong Kong has established a Chair of Architecture and appointed Professor Gordon Brown to organize and direct this new department. Such a step is obviously of the greatest importance to all those concerned with building in South-East Asia, and we have therefor asked the Professor to write a short article outlining his future plans.
As an introduction, we feel that it is necessary to give some brief biography of the Professor himself.
It was in 1944, when on leave from the Parachute Regi- ment, that Professor Gordon Brown was appointed as Prin- cipal of the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. He was then 31 years of age. In the following June, when he was released from the army, the new principal was faced with the task of re-organising the A.A. and pre- paring for the greatly increased members which were expected. The school rapidly rose from 100 to 550 students with a staff of 50 practising architects. A new curriculum and new methods of practical training were introduced by which students studied under expert craftsmen, and had experience which had not hitherto formed part of any architectural course in Britain. In addition, Summer Schools were organized abroad where A.A. students worked under the direction of foreign professors and architects. These took place during the long vacation in Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Italy. The foreign schools in their turn sent students and staff to work in the A.A. in London.
In 1948, Professor Gordon Brown left the A.A. to become the first Professor of Architecture in Edinburgh University where he adopted the same policies as he had put into operation at the A.A.
Meanwhile Professor Gordon Brown had played an increasing part in the affairs of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He was an elected member of the R.I.B.A. Council, Chairman of the Schools Committee, Chairman of the Prize and Scholarship Committee, a Member of the Town Planning Committee, and an Officer of the Board of Architec- tural Education. In addition, he was external examiner to the Universities of Cambridge and Wales.
Outside the field of education, the Professor had been designing houses and schools, and had undertaken a big pro- ject in Texas. His other activities included work and research in industrial design and he was recently invited by the President of the Board of Trade to become Member of the Council of Industrial Design for Scotland.
In view of the housing problems which are so acute at the moment in the Far East, it is worth commenting on the fact that the Professor organized and directed a most success- ful International Conference on housing in Brussels in 1947 for the Foreign Office and Economic Control Commission for Europe.
PROFESSOR GORDON BROWN'S NOTES ON THE NEW
DEPARTMENT
OF
Recent trends in architectural design show that there is a revival of a regional as against an international outlook in most countries. To some extent this is due to the effect of the war, in which architects were isolated from men of their own profession in other countries. Through shortage of steel and concrete they were forced to adopt more traditional building methods. Many designers were strongly influenced by this period and never returned to the international style which had been growing in popularity before the war. I think that this is an important trend because any school in Asia must also have a regional outlook and aim to train young architects who are able to meet the social, economic and technical requirements of their own people. I think it would be a loss of a very great opportunity if we were to become nothing more than a reflection of the architectural schools of Europe and America.
The Senate of the University of Hong Kong have decided that, subject to the approval of the Court of University, the degree of Bachelor of Architecture shall be awarded to those students who successfully complete the 5-year course at the University. Pass lists for this degree will be posted in three categories, First Class Honours, Second Class Honours and Pass. Students of the University of Hong Kong, who have obtained honours in architecture, and suitably qualified students of other universities may undertake post graduate work of not less than one year's duration for the degree of Master of Architecture. The University intends to apply to the R.I.B.A. for recognition of these examinations. If this is obtained. it will mean that all students obtaining the degree of B.A. will automatically become Associates of the R.I.B.A.
We have an intake of 45 students into the department this term and from what I have seen of them, and from my previous experience of the R.I.B.A.. I have every reason to believe that they are quite capable of winning the recogni- tion which we desire.
The theory of architectural education is something about which one could write at great length. I believe that, if one is to put it shortly, one must talk of principles rather than methods. My object in architectural education is to develop the individual capacity of the student so that, after a period of practical experience in an office, he may go on to make his own contribution to contemporary architecture. The develop- ment of the student does not depend so much on the number of subjects which he is taught as on the qualities which already exists in the student and which are developed by his training. The most important of these qualities are sensitivity and imagination, logical thinking, technical sense, administrative ability and the power of self-expression.
Although I have been stressing the importance of prin- ciples, method cannot be disregarded. I have found that teaching methods are very similar in all countries. The Scandinavian schools differed more than any other from the
ARCHITECTURE
general pattern, but they are now adopting our methods to a very great extent. The fundamental weakness in all architec- tural education, since large schools came into existence in the early part of the century, has been the lack of instruction on the practical side. We hope to remedy this by every means available to us.
One of the studios of the new School of Architecture.
A very important aspect of the course, is the develop- ment of the correct relationship between the architect and engineer,
We are very fortunate in having as our new Professor of Engineering. Dr. Kurt Billig, one of the greatest experts on concrete. From the architect's point of view, Professor Billig is much more because he is one of those engineers who understands the architect's problem and approach, and is able to produce imaginative and aesthetically satisfying solutions to the structural problem. If his young engineers are able to cultivate this all too rare quality, our own architectural students can look forward to valuable cooperation in the future.
In conclusion, I will say that the way in which the School of Architecture has been set up and equipped by the University of Hong Kong, and the quality of the students themselves, presents an opportunity in architectural education which is as good as can be found anywhere, and I hope that within the next five years we shall have made a serious contribution to architecture in South-East Asia.
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