324:
720:
370:
224:
232:
316:
339:, and among his technical designs was a microphone stand featuring an overhead counterbalanced arm that enabled the microphone to be moved to any part of the studio while remaining perfectly balanced. The design became a standard piece of equipment at the BBC. Coates also designed the distinctive and influential round
335:, where two living rooms on one side of the building are equivalent in height to three rooms on the other side, making two units vertically on three floors. He also designed the "D-handle", a simple door handle design commonly employed, for example, in Scandinavian furniture. In 1930 he designed a studio for the
31:
392:'s South Bank Exhibition. This 400-seat, state-of-the-art cinema, specially designed to screen both film (including the first 3-dimensional films) and large-screen television, proved one of the most popular attractions of the South Bank Exhibition in the summer of 1951. Operated and programmed by the
432:
with Walter
Gropius but he was not happy there. He returned to Vancouver after two years, where he worked on Project 58. His last assignment was to design a monorail rapid transit system for Vancouver, dubbed the Monospan Twin-Ride System (MTRS). Once again, he was ahead of his time. The project was
381:. Following the war, he, like some other well known architects including Gropius and Breuer (by then working in America), contributed to the British post-War housing effort by introducing an early scheme for modular housing he called Room Unit Production.
307:'Ugliest Building Competition' in 1946, and would not be recognized as one of England's most important Modernist buildings for another decade. The building fell into disrepair by the 1990s but it changed ownership in 2001 and was fully restored by 2004.
403:
He also designed a remarkable boat, called the
Wingsail. It had a rigid sail design mounted on a catamaran hull. Though he formed a company to market the design, it was not a success, as both the sail and the catamaran were ahead of their time.
764:
has materials relating to his life and work. A list of the holdings is available online. Additional reference materials from the CIAM period are held at the CIAM Belgian
Section of the Getty Research Institute.
415:
on the St. Lawrence River in eastern
Ontario which were also not implemented (the design was awarded to others). He also prepared plans for a Toronto Island Redevelopment Project, and was a participant in the
180:
where he studied engineering (obtaining a PhD in 1924). Among his first jobs in
England was as a journalist and then with the design firm of Adams and Thompson in 1924. He established his own firm in 1928.
323:
172:
Coates spent his youth in the Far East, and voyaged around the world with his father in 1913. He served in World War I, first as a gunner and later as a pilot with the Royal Air Force. He attended the
428:
Coates began coming back to Canada in the early 1950s, about the time of the
Iroquois project, finally settling there in 1957. In 1955 and 1956, he taught at the Graduate School of Design at
184:
His childhood experiences in Japan would play an important role in his aesthetic sensibility that he brought to his architectural work, and this sensibility found a fitting outlet in the
1030:
285:
designed for left-wing intellectuals". It became a haven for
Germans and Hungarians escaping Nazi persecution and hosted many famous personages including Agatha Christie,
928:
208:
700:
444:
in
Vancouver on June 17, 1958, at the age of 62. Coates was married to Marion Grove in 1927. They had one child, Laura, and separated in 1937. Coates' grandson is
281:
and furniture. With simple living spaces strongly influenced by Coates' Japanese experience, and including built-in Isokon furniture, Isokon was "an experiment in
351:
permanent collection, the Museum notes of the design of Model AD-65: "the severe geometric shape defined the visual vocabulary of radio design for many years".
898:
476:
282:
1020:
1035:
1025:
189:
1055:
400:
in
October 1952, until its demolition in 1957 as the NFT was relocated a stone's throw away from its original site, under Waterloo Bridge.
377:
During World War II, he again served with the RAF, this time working on fighter aircraft development, for which he was later awarded an
470:
119:
162:, on December 17, 1895, to Methodist missionaries Sarah Agnes Wintemute Coates (1864–1945) and Harper Havelock Coates (1865–1934).
1015:
1005:
1045:
408:
366:, Kensington (1939). These were the only apartment buildings he would design. He also had several private home commissions.
873:
846:
777:
738:
719:
822:
523:
336:
842:
165:
The young man's desire to be an architect was inspired by his mother, who had herself studied architecture under
331:
An inventive genius, Coates revelled in introducing new ideas in his work. Among his innovations was the '3-2'
173:
98:
978:
1040:
176:
where he obtained a BA degree in May 1920 and a BSc degree in May 1922, and in
October 1922 he registered at
127:(December 17, 1895 – June 17, 1958) was an architect, designer and writer. He was, for most of his life, an
1010:
601:
378:
123:
559:
1050:
967:
827:
573:
348:
302:
757:
893:
662:
290:
866:
393:
278:
132:
818:
441:
397:
1000:
995:
434:
255:
8:
785:
389:
177:
262:
than anything Corbusier ever designed". The building was compared to the exterior of an
938:
429:
332:
859:
773:
744:
734:
412:
254:(also known as Lawn Road Flats), completed in 1934. Indeed, the architectural critic
143:
128:
837:
948:
923:
918:
913:
481:
78:
499:
407:
He is less well known for his planning work. In 1937, he undertook planning for a
445:
369:
267:
251:
223:
139:
701:
Plaque unveiled to mark 80 years of Hampstead modernist icon the Isokon Building
673:
354:
The thirties were his most prolific era. The Isokon was immediately followed by
319:
Ekco radio display, showing Coates's most popular design, the AD-65 on the right
485:
363:
286:
274:
193:
166:
135:
803:
587:
231:
989:
943:
748:
612:
355:
294:
235:
131:
who is best known for his work in England, the most notable of which is the
903:
647:
243:
678:, Cumulative Index of the SSAC-SEAC Journal, Vol. 6 (1980)- Vol. 24 (1999)
207:
Between 1932 and 1936 Coates was in partnership with an English architect
933:
832:
797:
768:
Coates' daughter, Laura Cohn, published a biography of her father called
548:
433:
abandoned, but would be rejuvenated years later in another form known as
263:
197:
30:
687:
471:"Coates, Wells Wintemute (1895–1958), architect and industrial designer"
411:
in Britain (not implemented). In Canada (1952–54) he prepared plans for
246:'s architectural mantra that buildings should be 'machines for living' (
651:
385:
373:
This view of 10 Palace Gate illustrates Coates' 3-2 architectural plan.
201:
723:
English Heritage blue plaque at 18 Yeoman’s Row, Knightsbridge, London
813:
623:
315:
185:
74:
634:
Wells Coates, 'Planning the Festival of Britain Telekinema', in the
270:, who lived there for a time, so clean and striking was the design.
882:
359:
340:
804:
Modern Architecture: Isokon, Hampstead and Embassy Court, Brighton
512:
761:
449:
258:
suggested that he improved on Corbusier, coming "nearer to the
733:(25th anniversary ed.). Köln: Taschen. pp. 164–165.
159:
155:
55:
851:
344:
169:
and planned one of the first missionary schools in Japan.
707:, Archant Community Media Ltd. Accessed February 7, 2017.
347:
for some of its radios during the 1930s. Featured in the
188:
Movement, then current in Europe. He attended the 1933
828:
Royal Designers for Industry & Britain Can Make It
300:
Isokon was ahead of its time: it won second place in
211:
and designed together the Sunspan House for the 1934
154:
The oldest of six children, Wells Coates was born in
1031:
Canadian Officers of the Order of the British Empire
480:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.
469:
277:, who in 1931 established a design firm featuring
987:
215:Ideal Home Exhibition held at Olympia, London.
563:The historical myth of London during the 1930s
867:
838:Wells Coates, 'ECKO Model AD-65' radio, 1932.
690:, Wellscoates.org. Accessed February 7, 2017.
273:The apartment building was the brainchild of
636:Journal of the British Kinematograph Society
602:Wells Coates, 'ECKO Model AD-65' radio, 1932
384:In 1949-50, he designed the building of the
190:Congrès International d'Architecture Moderne
539:Gordon Fraser, London 1978, p. 18 and p. 57
1021:Canadian expatriates in the United Kingdom
874:
860:
728:
420:urban redevelopment scheme for Vancouver.
202:Modern Architectural Research Group (MARS)
29:
1036:Harvard Graduate School of Design faculty
1026:Canadian expatriates in the United States
788:and published by Gordon Fraser, London.
718:
423:
368:
322:
314:
250:). This ideal was best-reflected in his
230:
222:
729:Fiell, Charlotte; Fiell, Peter (2005).
477:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
988:
819:Finding aid for the Wells Coates fonds
218:
1056:University of British Columbia alumni
855:
845:Portraits from the collection of the
784:published in 1978. It was written by
310:
833:Wells Coates: Architect and designer
591:Wells Coates, Architect and Designer
196:, and was one of the founders, with
843:Wells Coates (1895-1958), Architect
13:
798:Biography from the Open University
780:. There was also an earlier book,
714:
699:Daniel Wittenberg, (July 9, 2014)
192:(CIAM), which produced the famous
14:
1067:
847:National Portrait Gallery, London
791:
823:Canadian Centre for Architecture
772:(Aldershot: Scolar Press, 1999)
524:Queen Mary, University of London
337:British Broadcasting Corporation
972:
961:
693:
681:
667:
656:
641:
628:
617:
606:
595:
581:
577:Isokon Penguin Donkey Bookcase
567:
553:
542:
529:
517:
506:
462:
174:University of British Columbia
149:
99:University of British Columbia
16:Canadian architect (1895–1958)
1:
1016:Canadian expatriates in Japan
1006:Alumni of East London College
455:
327:Ekco model AD 65 radio (1932)
1046:Royal Designers for Industry
881:
514:The Friends of Embassy Court
500:UK public library membership
448:of the electronic music duo
204:, the British wing of CIAM.
7:
10:
1072:
731:Design of the 20th Century
537:Wells Coates: A Monograph,
889:
782:Wells Coates: a Monograph
770:The Door to a Secret Room
758:University of East Anglia
105:
94:
86:
63:
37:
28:
21:
980:Getty Research Institute
638:, April 1951, pp.108-119
614:Friends of Embassy Court
550:Open 2 (Open University)
275:Jack and Molly Pritchard
440:Wells Coates died of a
209:David Pleydell-Bouverie
724:
664:UBC Carol Coates Fonds
486:10.1093/ref:odnb/38547
396:, it re-opened as the
394:British Film Institute
374:
328:
320:
279:Modernist architecture
239:
228:
116:Wells Wintemute Coates
42:Wells Wintemute Coates
722:
535:Sherban Cantacuzino:
424:Final years in Canada
398:National Film Theatre
372:
326:
318:
234:
226:
101:, East London College
1041:Modernist architects
808:One Foot in the Past
688:Wells Coates: Marion
1011:Canadian architects
969:East Anglia Library
786:Sherban Cantacuzino
676:Canada Architecture
390:Festival of Britain
227:The Isokon Building
219:Role as a Modernist
178:East London College
129:expatriate Canadian
725:
375:
333:architectural plan
329:
321:
311:Later achievements
291:László Moholy-Nagy
283:collective housing
240:
229:
1051:People from Tokyo
957:
956:
802:Elaine Harwood, "
498:(Subscription or
413:Iroquois New Town
343:cabinets used by
260:machine à habiter
248:machine à habiter
144:Hampstead, London
113:
112:
52:December 17, 1895
1063:
981:
976:
970:
965:
949:Edward Wadsworth
924:Frances Hodgkins
919:Tristram Hillier
914:Barbara Hepworth
876:
869:
862:
853:
852:
752:
708:
697:
691:
685:
679:
671:
665:
660:
654:
645:
639:
632:
626:
621:
615:
610:
604:
599:
593:
585:
579:
575:V&A Museum,
571:
565:
557:
551:
546:
540:
533:
527:
521:
515:
510:
504:
503:
495:
493:
492:
473:
466:
303:Horizon Magazine
266:by the novelist
126:
79:British Columbia
70:
51:
49:
33:
19:
18:
1071:
1070:
1066:
1065:
1064:
1062:
1061:
1060:
986:
985:
984:
977:
973:
966:
962:
958:
953:
885:
880:
794:
741:
717:
715:Further reading
712:
711:
698:
694:
686:
682:
672:
668:
661:
657:
646:
642:
633:
629:
622:
618:
611:
607:
600:
596:
589:Design Museum,
586:
582:
572:
568:
561:Chloë Théault,
558:
554:
547:
543:
534:
530:
522:
518:
511:
507:
497:
490:
488:
468:
467:
463:
458:
426:
313:
268:Agatha Christie
252:Isokon building
242:Wells embraced
221:
152:
140:Isokon building
118:
95:Alma mater
82:
72:
68:
59:
53:
47:
45:
44:
43:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1069:
1059:
1058:
1053:
1048:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1028:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
983:
982:
971:
959:
955:
954:
952:
951:
946:
941:
936:
931:
926:
921:
916:
911:
906:
901:
896:
894:John Armstrong
890:
887:
886:
879:
878:
871:
864:
856:
850:
849:
840:
835:
830:
825:
816:
811:
800:
793:
792:External links
790:
754:
753:
739:
716:
713:
710:
709:
692:
680:
666:
655:
640:
627:
616:
605:
594:
580:
566:
552:
541:
528:
516:
505:
460:
459:
457:
454:
425:
422:
409:slum clearance
364:10 Palace Gate
312:
309:
287:Walter Gropius
220:
217:
194:Athens Charter
167:Louis Sullivan
151:
148:
136:block of flats
111:
110:
107:
103:
102:
96:
92:
91:
88:
84:
83:
73:
71:(aged 62)
65:
61:
60:
54:
41:
39:
35:
34:
26:
25:
22:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1068:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1027:
1024:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
993:
991:
979:
975:
968:
964:
960:
950:
947:
945:
944:Ben Nicholson
942:
940:
937:
935:
932:
930:
927:
925:
922:
920:
917:
915:
912:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
891:
888:
884:
877:
872:
870:
865:
863:
858:
857:
854:
848:
844:
841:
839:
836:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
820:
817:
815:
814:Embassy Court
812:
809:
805:
801:
799:
796:
795:
789:
787:
783:
779:
778:1-84014-695-8
775:
771:
766:
763:
759:
750:
746:
742:
740:9783822840788
736:
732:
727:
726:
721:
706:
702:
696:
689:
684:
677:
674:
670:
663:
659:
653:
649:
644:
637:
631:
624:
620:
613:
609:
603:
598:
592:
588:
584:
578:
574:
570:
564:
560:
556:
549:
545:
538:
532:
525:
520:
513:
509:
501:
487:
483:
479:
478:
472:
465:
461:
453:
451:
447:
443:
438:
436:
431:
421:
419:
414:
410:
405:
401:
399:
395:
391:
387:
382:
380:
371:
367:
365:
361:
357:
356:Embassy Court
352:
350:
346:
342:
338:
334:
325:
317:
308:
306:
304:
298:
296:
295:Marcel Breuer
292:
288:
284:
280:
276:
271:
269:
265:
261:
257:
256:J.M. Richards
253:
249:
245:
237:
236:Embassy Court
233:
225:
216:
214:
210:
205:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
182:
179:
175:
170:
168:
163:
161:
157:
147:
145:
141:
138:known as the
137:
134:
130:
125:
121:
117:
108:
104:
100:
97:
93:
89:
85:
80:
76:
67:June 17, 1958
66:
62:
57:
40:
36:
32:
27:
20:
974:
963:
909:Wells Coates
908:
904:Edward Burra
810:series, 1990
807:
781:
769:
767:
755:
730:
705:Ham&High
704:
695:
683:
675:
669:
658:
648:Wells Coates
643:
635:
630:
619:
608:
597:
590:
583:
576:
569:
562:
555:
544:
536:
531:
519:
508:
489:. Retrieved
475:
464:
442:heart attack
439:
427:
417:
406:
402:
383:
376:
353:
330:
301:
299:
272:
259:
247:
244:Le Corbusier
241:
212:
206:
183:
171:
164:
153:
115:
114:
69:(1958-06-17)
23:Wells Coates
1001:1958 deaths
996:1895 births
934:Henry Moore
929:Colin Lucas
760:Library in
362:(1935) and
264:ocean liner
238:in Brighton
198:Maxwell Fry
150:Early years
87:Nationality
990:Categories
899:John Bigge
652:archINFORM
502:required.)
491:2024-02-21
456:References
446:Matt Black
418:Project 58
386:Telekinema
213:Daily Mail
106:Occupation
48:1895-12-17
939:Paul Nash
749:809539744
526:Archives.
200:, of the
186:Modernist
133:Modernist
109:Architect
75:Vancouver
883:Unit One
435:SkyTrain
388:for the
360:Brighton
341:bakelite
81:, Canada
762:Norwich
450:Coldcut
430:Harvard
349:V&A
90:British
58:, Japan
776:
747:
737:
496:
293:, and
625:Ibid.
160:Japan
156:Tokyo
122:
56:Tokyo
774:ISBN
756:The
745:OCLC
735:ISBN
345:EKCO
64:Died
38:Born
806:",
650:at
482:doi
379:OBE
358:in
142:in
124:RDI
120:OBE
992::
821:,
743:.
703:,
474:.
452:.
437:.
305:'s
297:.
289:,
158:,
146:.
77:,
875:e
868:t
861:v
751:.
494:.
484::
50:)
46:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
