Miles Warren

Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox architect

Sir Frederick Miles Warren Template:Post-nominals Template:Post-nominals (10 May 1929 – 9 August 2022) was a New Zealand architect. He apprenticed under Cecil Wood before studying architecture at the University of Auckland, eventually working at the London County Council where he was exposed to British New Brutalism. Upon returning to Christchurch, and forming the practice Warren and Mahoney, he was instrumental in developing the "Christchurch School" of architecture, an intersection between the truth-to-materials and structural expression that characterised Brutalism, and the low-key, Scandinavian and Japanese commitment to "straightforwardness". He retired from Warren and Mahoney in 1994 but continued to consult as an architect and maintain his historic home and garden at Ohinetahi.

Early lifeEdit

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Miles Warren, his office and flat

Warren was born in Christchurch on 10 May 1929, the son of Jean and Maurice Warren.<ref name="Whos who">Template:Cite journal</ref> He was educated at Christ's College. He commenced his architectural training as an apprentice to Cecil Wood and studied architecture via correspondence at the Christchurch Atelier. Warren later moved to Auckland to complete his studies at the University of Auckland.<ref name="Libraries bio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

BuildingsEdit

Warren's first major building was the Dorset Street Flats (designed in 1956) that were derided as prison-like due to their small scale and exposed concrete. This domestic vocabulary was quickly adapted to various building types – the Dental Nurses School (1958), the architect's own office and home (1962), Harewood Crematorium (1963), Christchurch College (now known as College House) (1964) and the Christchurch Town Hall (1972).<ref name="NZIA obit" />

File:Harewood Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, Christchurch, New Zealand.jpg

Warren & Mahoney: Harewood Crematorium (1963)

Awards and recognitionEdit

Warren & Mahoney won the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) Gold Medal in 1959, 1964, 1969 and 1973.<ref name="NatLib22451192">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1966 they won the American Institute of Architects' Pan Pacific Citation, an award also given to among others the architects Kenzo Tange and Harry Seidler. Warren was awarded the NZIA Gold Medal as an individual in 2000.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="NatLib22451192" /> Warren and Peter Beaven are the only two Christchurch architects who have been awarded both the New Zealand Institute of Architects gold medal.<ref name="new / old city plan">Template:Cite news</ref>

In the 1974 New Year Honours, Warren was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1985 New Year Honours,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> and appointed to the Order of New Zealand in the 1995 Queen's Birthday Honours.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2001 he received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Auckland, and in 2003 he received an Icon Award from the Arts Foundation of New Zealand.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In March 2009, Warren was commemorated as one of the Twelve Local Heroes, and a bronze bust of him was unveiled outside the Christchurch Arts Centre.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

For his 80th birthday, his work was the basis of an exhibition at the Christchurch Art Gallery, which was also shown at the University of Auckland's Gus Fisher Gallery in 2010.<ref>Exhibition at the Christchurch Art Gallery Template:Webarchive; accessed 12 January 2010</ref>

In 2011 Warren was profiled on Artsville, a TVNZ arts documentary series.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Critics of his work and its impact on the Victorian architectural heritage of Christchurch include Duncan Fallowell, who has written: "his buildings can't manage the simplest attributes of good design or benevolence".<ref>Fallowell, Duncan: Going As Far As I Can, Profile Books, London 2008, p164</ref>

In 2015, the NZIA replaced their Architecture Medal award with four named awards honouring prominent New Zealand architects, including the Sir Miles Warren Award for Commercial Architecture.<ref name="NZIA-Award">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

GardensEdit

In addition to his passion for architecture Warren was also well known as a keen and talented gardener. The garden at 65 Cambridge Terrace (pictured above) was admired for its simplicity. In 1977, with Pauline and John Trengrove, Warren began work on the garden at Ohinetahi.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This garden includes a formal rose garden, a walled "red and green" garden and a woodland garden. Warren also designed a display garden for the 2009 Ellerslie Flower Show. In 2012 Warren gifted his house and garden to the people of New Zealand via the Ohinetahi Charitable Trust.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

DeathEdit

Warren died in Christchurch on 9 August 2022 at the age of 93.<ref name="NZIA obit">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

BooksEdit

Miles Warren: An Autobiography was published by Canterbury University Press in November 2008.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref name=autobio>Template:Cite book</ref>

List of designsEdit

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Dorset Street Flats (1956–1957)<ref name=autobio/>
GN Grigg House (1957)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Dental Nurses Training School (1958–1959)<ref name="NZIA obit" />
RH Ballantyne House (1959)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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JJ Connor Flats (1960)<ref name="Itinerary no 15">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Carlton Mill Rd Flats (1960)<ref name="Itinerary no 15" />
MB Warren House (1961)<ref name="Itinerary no 15" />
BA Broderick Townhouses (1962)<ref name="Itinerary no 15" />
Architect's Office & Flat (1962–1979)<ref name="Itinerary no 15" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Memorial Gardens & Crematorium (1962–1963)<ref name="Itinerary no 15" />
Christchurch Wool Exchange (1962–1964)<ref name="Itinerary no 15" />
College House at the University of Canterbury (1964–1970)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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RC Webb Flats (1965)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Munro House (1968)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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HR Irving House (1968)<ref name="straight line">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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JH Elworthy House (1969)<ref name="straight line" />
Christchurch Town Hall (1966–1972)<ref name="Itinerary no 15" />
NZ Chancery, Washington, DC (1975–1981)<ref name="Itinerary no 15" />
D Forbes House (1976)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Christchurch Central Library, Christchurch (1982)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington (1983)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Rotorua Civic Offices (1985–1986)<ref name="WAM Retrospective">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Clarendon Tower (1986–1987)<ref name="Christchurch City Libraries">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Compudigm House, Wellington (1989)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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TVNZ Centre, Auckland (1990)<ref name="WAM Retrospective" />

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ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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