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MenuHomeUpfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon | ROSS, Iain ParkBorn: 1910 02 08Died: 1988 08 25 ArchitectSACA:Reg No: 609 Year registered: 1935 | |||||
Also referred to as PARK-ROSS, Iain. The son of Dr Park Ross (the name did not seem to have a hyphen at this stage) Senior Assistant Medical Officer for the Union, was born in Pietermaritzburg. He was educated at Durban Preparatory High School from 1918 to 1923 and at Michaelhouse School from 1924 until 1927. On matriculating he joined the office of ING & JACKSON, Durban, where he spent a year (1928-9) before leaving to attend the University of Liverpool School of Architecture. He qualified at Liverpool in 1933 and was elected an Associate member of the RIBA in 1934. He registered as a member of the Institute of South African Architects in 1935 on his return to South Africa, and was appointed a junior partner in Ing & Jackson around May 1935 (cf ING, JACKSON & PARK ROSS). His first building was a stone and thatch dwelling for the lessee of the Royal Natal National Park, built by PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT from drawings prepared during his second year at Liverpool. The first building erected in practice was a double-storey, three-bedroom residence at Westville for Mrs Humphrey Gilbert in 1935. In 1940 he left Ing & Jackson to join 4th Light Brigade Artillery on the outbreak of the Second World War. Park Ross was successful in competition work. While in England, working in the offices of Gordon Jeeves & Partners in Hanover Square in London, he prepared drawings in his spare time for the international competition for the De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, 'receiving honourable mention and free drinks only' (Jackson 1985). In South Africa he won the competition open to Natal architects only for Clubhouse for the Natal Technical College. This was completed in 1938 and cost £40,000. It was considered 'an important example of the International Style with characteristics of the Dutch modern movement' (Kearney 1984:86) and was among the rare examples of this style in South Africa until its demolition in 1991. He also won the competition, open to Natal architects only, for his design for an Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg. Owing to the war it was not built but the foundation stone for it was laid by General Smuts in 1939/40. By 1959 he was in partnership with RP HAMLIN (cf HAMLIN & PARK-ROSS) and by 1969 he had joined STAUCH VORSTER (cf STAUCH VORSTER & PARK-ROSS). (ARIBA nom papers (1934) have gone astray; AB&E Aug 1833:37; Jackson 1985; ISAA mem list; SAAR May 1941:183) All truncated references not fully cited in 'References' are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. Books citing ROSS
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