William Chambers (architect)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
William Chambers

William Chambers, painted in 1764 by Frances Cotes
Born 23 February 1723
Gothenburg, Sweden
Died 10 March 1796(1796-03-10)
London
Nationality Scottish
Work
Buildings Casino at Marino
Dundas House (now the headquarters of the Royal Bank of Scotland)
Dunmore Pineapple
Somerset House

Sir William Chambers (23 February 1723 – 10 March 1796) was a Scottish architect, born in Gothenburg, Sweden, where his father was a merchant. Between 1740 and 1749 he was employed by the Swedish East India Company making several voyages to China where he studied Chinese architecture and decoration.

Returning to Europe, he studied architecture in Paris (with J. F. Blondel) and spent five years in Italy. Then, in 1755, he travelled to England and established an architectural practice in London. Through a recommendation of the 4th Earl of Bute in 1757[1] he was appointed architectural tutor to the Prince of Wales, later George III, and in 1766 also, with Robert Adam, Architect to the King, this was an unofficial title (not an actual salaried post with the Office of Works).[2] He worked for Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales making fanciful garden buildings at Kew, and in 1757 he published a book of Chinese designs which had a significant influence on contemporary taste. He developed his Chinese interests further with his 'Dissertation on Oriental Gardening' (1772), a fanciful elaboration of contemporary English ideas about the naturalistic style of gardening in China.

The central courtyard of Chambers' Somerset House in London. The pavement fountain was installed in the 1990s.

In 1759 his more serious and academic Treatise on Civil Architecture had an influence on builders; it went into several editions and was still being republished in 1826. His influence was transmitted also through a host of younger architects trained as pupils in his office, including Thomas Hardwick Junior (1752–1825) who helped build Somerset House with him and who wrote a biography of Chambers's life.

He was the major rival of Adam in British Neoclassicism. Chambers was more international in outlook (his knighthood being originally a Swedish honour) and was influenced by continental neoclassicism (which he in turn influenced) when designing for British clients. A second visit to Paris in 1774 confirmed the French cast to his sober and conservative refined blend of Neoclassicism and Palladian conventions.

In 1766, Chambers was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. From 1761 he held the unofficial post of Joint Architect to the King,[3] he was then promoted to his first official post in the Office of Works and was from 1769-1782 Comptroller of the King's Works, his final promotion put him in charge, from 1782 being Surveyor-General and Comptroller a post he kept until his death.

On 10 December 1768 the Royal Academy was founded, Chambers played an important role in the events that lead up to the Academy's foundation,[4] the Minutes of the General Assembly of the Royal Academy 14 December 1768 record 'That some time towards the latter end of November 1768, Mr Chambers waited upon the King and informed him that many artists of reputation together with himself are very desirous of establishing a Society that should more effectively promote the Arts of Design'. He was appointed the Academy's first Treasurer.

Chambers died in London in 1796. He is buried in the Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey.[5]

[edit] Writings

  • Designs of Chinese buildings, furniture, dresses, machines, and utensils : to which is annexed a description of their temples, houses, gardens, &c (London) 1757
  • Desseins des edifices, meubles, habits, machines, et ustenciles des Chinois ; Auxquels est ajoutée une descr. de leurs temples, de leurs maisons, de leurs jardins, etc. (London) 1757
  • A treatise on civil architecture in which the principles of that art are laid down and illustrated by a great number of plates accurately designed and elegantly engraved by the best hands (London) 1759
  • Plans, Elevations, Sections and Perspective Views of the Gardens and Buildings at Kew in Surrey (London) 1763
  • A dissertation on oriental gardening. (London) 1772

[edit] Main works

Door handle from Somerset House, about 1785, designed by Sir William Chambers V&A Museum no. 4013-1855
  • Within Kew Gardens, some of his buildings are lost, those remaining being the ten-storey Pagoda, the Orangery, the Ruined Arch, the Temple of Bellona and the Temple of Aeolus.[7]
  • Somerset House in London, his most famous building, which absorbed most of his energies over a period of two decades (1776–1796)
  • Hedsor House, Buckinghamshire, the seat of Lord Boston, equerry to George III.[8]

[edit] List of architectural work[9]

[edit] London work

  • Kew Gardens, Kew, Surrey, various structures: House of Confucius (1749) demolished, Frederick, Prince of Wales Mausoleum (unexecuted), Gallery of Antiquities (1757) demolished, Orangery (1757–61), Temple of Pan (1758) demolished, Temple of Arethusa (1758) demolished, Alhambra (1758) demolished, Garden Seat (1758) demolished, Porter's Lodge (1758) demolished, Stables (1758) demolished, Temple of Victory (1759) demolished, Ruined Arch (1759), Theatre of Augusta (1760) demolished, Temple of Bellona (1760), Menagerie (1760) demolished, Exotic Garden (1760) demolished, Mosque (1761) demolished, Temple of the Sun (1761) demolished, Pagoda (1761–62), Temple of Peace (1763) demolished, Temple of Aeolus (1763), Temple of Solitude (1763) demolished, Palladian Bridge (1763) demolished, Dairy (1773) demolished and alterations to Kew House (demolished)
  • Leicester House, Leicester Square, alterations (1757) demolished
  • Carlton House, alterations, (1757–61), new porters lodge and remodelled entrance passage (c.1761), later virtually rebuilt (1783-6) by Henry Holland demolished
  • Richmond House, Whitehall, Gallery, greenhouse, Gate to Privy garden (1759–60) demolished
  • Parksted House (now Manresa House), Roehampton (1760)
  • 47 Leicester Square, Sir Joshua Reynolds's house, new painting room and gallery (c.1760-2) demolished
  • Pembroke House, Whitehall, internal decoration (1760) riding house (1773) demolished
  • Buckingham Palace (then Queen's House), addition of north & south wings, west and east libraries, the octagon library, interior decorations and riding house (1762–68) none of this work survives
  • Grantham House, Whitehall, alterations (1760s) demolished
  • 25 Grosvenor Square, internal alterations (1762) demolished
  • Richmond Palace, Richmond, various designs (1762, 1764, 1769, 1775) none executed
  • 45 Berkeley Square, internal decoration (1763-7)
  • 13-22, 44-58, Berners Street, (1764–70)
  • Gower House, Whitehall, Chamber's largest town house (1765–74) demolished
  • German Lutheran Chapel, Savoy Palace, (1766) demolished
  • 20 Grosvenor Square, internal alterations (1767) demolished
  • Observatory, Richmond Gardens, for George III (1768)
  • 6 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea (c.1768)
  • St. James's Palace, internal decorations (late 1760s)
  • 21 Arlington Street, Westminster(1769)
  • Milton House, Park Lane (road), entrance gate and screen (1769–71) demolished
  • Bedford House, Bloomsbury, London, alterations and internal decorations (c.1769-c.1772) demolished
  • 79 Piccadilly, alterations including addition of attic storey (1770–71) demolished
  • Errington House (later Warwick House), Cleveland Row (1770–71) demolished
  • House Knightsbridge (1770–72) demolished
  • Wick House, Richmond (1771)
  • 3 St. James's Square, internal alterations (1771) demolished
  • The Earl and Countess of Mountrath's tomb, St. John's Chapel, Westminster Abbey (1771)
  • Melbourne House Piccadilly, (1771–76) converted to the Albany by Henry Holland (1803-4)
  • Marlborough House, addition of attic and internal alterations including new chimney-piece in the state drawing room (1771–74)
  • 14 Cecil Street, interior work (c.1772)
  • 62 Curzon Street (1773)
  • 15 George Street,internal alterations and Doric porch (1774)
  • 51 Grosvenor Street, alterations (1774-5)
  • Somerset House, Chamber's magnum opus (1776–96), the building was unfinished at Chamber's death and continued in (1829–31) under Robert Smirke who added the east wing

[edit] England except London

  • Goodwood House, Sussex, South wing of house & stables (1757–60)
  • Wilton House, Wiltshire, Triumpha lArch, Casina, Rock Bridge, Library, Tennis Court (1757–74)
  • Duntish Court, Dorset, new house (1760)
  • Poston Court, Herfordshire, Casino (1760)
  • Newby Park, (now Baldersby Park), Baldersby, Yorkshire, alterations to the house, Pheasantry and Menagerie (c.1760)
  • Peper Harow House, Surrey (1760–65)
  • Osterley Park, Middlesex, north front and gallery (1761) the rest of the house by Robert Adam
  • Beechwood, Hertfordshire, Dining Room (1761)
  • The Hyde, near Ingatestone, Essex, hall and staircase (1761)
  • The Hoo, Herfordshire, alterations and interior decoration, bridge, temple, gateway, stables, boat house & gate piers (c.1762)
  • Temple of Romulus and Remus, Coleby Hall, Coleby, North Kesteven, Lincolnshire (1762)
  • Styche Hall, Shropshire new house and stables (1762–66)
  • Walcot House, Shropshire, remodelling (1764-7)
  • Teddington Grove, Middlesex, new house, greenhouse and temple (c.1765)
  • Whitton Place, Middlesex, Mausoleum, redecoration of house, Roman Bathhouse, Greenhouse, Temple of Aesculapius (1765–90)
  • Completion of John Vardy's House for Andrew Drummond (Vardy had died), Stanmore, Middlesex, (1765–70)
  • Houghton House, Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire, restoration and alterations (1765) now a ruin
  • Kirkleatham Hall, Kirkleatham, Yorkshire, the gallery (c.1765)
  • Woodstock Town Hall, Woodstock, Oxfordshire (1766)
  • Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, Internal decorations, furniture, gateway to kitchen garden, Blagdon Bridge, Temple of Diana, Temple of Flora, Flower Garden, erection of Bernini Obelisk (1766–1775)
  • Monument to Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, St. Michael's Church Chenies (1766)
  • Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, Chinese Pavilion attributed (c.1766)
  • Ansley Hall, Ansley, Warwickshire Chinese temple (1767)
  • Barton Hall, Norfolk, Library (1767)
  • Terling Place, Essex, work of unknown nature (1767-8)
  • Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire, South wing, including Eating Room and Library and Basin Bridge (1767–72)
  • Cobham Hall, Kent, new rooms in south wing including the library, raising of attic (c.1767-70)
  • Southill House, Southill, Bedfordshire, alterations (c.1768) the house was later rebuilt by Henry Holland
  • Ampthill Park, Ampthill, Bedfordshire, addition of wings and redecoration of the interiors (1768–72)
  • Milton Abbey, new house, porter's lodge and west front of Abbey church, uniquely for Chambers all in Gothic revival style
  • New House, Woodstock, Oxfordshire (c.1769)
  • Danson House, Kent, internal alterations including new chimney-pieces, the Temple and 'Palladio Bridge' (late 1760s-1770)
  • Tottenham House, Wiltshire, work of unknown character (1770–76)
  • Milton Hall, Cambridgeshire, alterations and interior decoration and garden temples (1770–76)
  • Trinity House Chapel, Kingston upon Hull (1772)
  • Amesbury Hall, Amesbury, Wiltshire, Chinese temple (1772)
  • Theatre Royal, Liverpool, Lancashire (1772) demolished
  • Milton Abbas, estate village for Milton Abbey (1773)
  • Newburgh Priory, Coxwold, Yorkshire, alterations (1774)
  • Hedsor House, Buckinghamshire (1778)

[edit] Ireland

  • Casino at Marino, Marino, Dublin (1758–76). Garden pavilion for 1st. Earl Charlemont. Open to the public.
  • Marino House, Marino, Dublin. (1758–75) Alterations and additions to existing country house for 1st. Earl Charlemont. Demolished.
  • Marino House, Marino, Dublin. Dragon gates. Relocated from original position.
  • Castletown House, (1760) County Kildare, internal alterations of long gallery and other rooms and gate piers for Thomas Connolly.
  • Slane Castle, County Meath, work of unknown nature (1760s)
  • Charlemont House, Rutland (now Parnell) Square, Dublin (1762–75) for 1st. Earl Charlemont. City house. Adapted for use as City Art Gallery. Porch added by others. Rear section demolished.
  • Headford, Co. Meath. (1765) Unexecuted design for country house with 13 bay garden front.
  • Town Hall, Main Street, Strabane, Co. Tyrone. Design for steeple.
  • Leinster House, Dublin, redecoration of first floor apartments on garden front (1767)
  • Hunting lodge, Roxborough Castle, Moy, County Tyrone.(1768) Two unexecuted designs for Lord Charlemont.
  • City Hall, Parliament Street, Dublin. (1768–1769). Unsuccessful competition entry.
  • Rathfarnham Castle, County Dublin, refaced 16th. cent. castle, provided with Georgian windows, straight roof parapets with urns and Georgian interiors (1770–71) for Henry, 4th. Viscount Loftus, Later 1st. Earl of Ely.
  • Lucan House, Lucan, Dublin (1773–75) for Agmondisham Vesey. Now Italian Embassy.
  • Trinity College, College Green, Dublin, East range. ( 1775). Not built.
  • Trinity College, College Green, Dublin, College Exam Hall. (1775) In use as exam hall and theatre.
  • Trinity College, College Green, Dublin Collegiate chapel (c.1775-1797). In use as chapel.

[edit] Scotland

[edit] Gallery of architectural works

  • Richmond Palace, not executed

  • The Orangery, Kew Gardens

  • The Ruined Arch, Kew Gardens

  • The Pagoda, Kew Gardens

  • Peper Harrow House, Surrey

  • Wood Stock Town Hall

  • Former Dundas House, Edinburgh

  • Casino at Marino, Dublin

  • Casino at Marino, Dublin

  • Dunmore Pineapple, Falkirk, Scotland

  • The State Coach, Royal Mews, London

  • Strand front, Somerset House, London

  • Strand block from courtyard, Somerset House, London

  • Courtyard, Somerset House, London

  • Thames front, Somerset House, London

  • Centre of Thames front, Somerset House, London

  • Staircase in Strand Block, Somerset House, London

  • Room in Strand Block, Somerset House, London

  • The Exhibition Room, former Royal Academy, Somerset House, London

  • Former Exhibition Room (Now part of Courtauld Galleries), Somerset House, London

  • West front, Osterley House, rest of building by Robert Adam

  • Milton Abbey, Dorset, Chamber's house to left of church

  • Melbourne House (Later Albany), London

  • the Chapel, Trinty College, Dublin

[edit] References

  1. ^ page 59, The Architect King: George III and the Culture of the Enlightenment, David Watkin, 2004, Royal Collection Publications
  2. ^ page 15, The Architect King: George III and the Culture of the Enlightenment, David Watkin, 2004, Royal Collection Publications
  3. ^ Chapter 8, The Office of Works 1761-96, Sir William Chambers Knight of the Polar Star, John Harris, 1970, A. Zwemmer Ltd
  4. ^ Chapter 11, The Royal Academy, Sir William Chambers Knight of the Polar Star, John Harris, 1970, A. Zwemmer Ltd
  5. ^ “Anecdotes of the Late Sir William Chambers, from the European Magazine,” The Annual Register, or a View of the History, Politicks and Literature of the Year (1796):366.
  6. ^ Parkstead House
  7. ^ Kew Gardens web site
  8. ^ Historic Register of Parks and Gardens
  9. ^ pages 196-256, Sir William Chambers Knight of the Polar Star, John Harris, 1970, A. Zwemmer Ltd

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sir William Chambers
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Chambers_(architect)&oldid=425989322"
Personal tools
Namespaces
Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages