Oral history interview with John F.C. Turner, 2007.

ArchivalResource

Oral history interview with John F.C. Turner, 2007.

Education: Architectural Association, London, 1944-1945, 1947-1954; early interest in architecture inspired by father's practice as an architect, including designing Turner's childhood home; military service, 1945-1947 -- claiming conscientious objector status in response to the Allied use of atomic weapons against Japan -- discovering the anarchist newspaper Freedom awakening an interest in anarchist philosophy -- meeting with Colin Ward; introduction to the writings of Patrick Geddes, 1947 -- exploration of Geddes' Notation of Life diagrams; return to the AA, 1947 -- influence of teacher Walter Segal, and of fellow students Bruce Martin, Paffard Keatinge-Clay, Pat Crooke, Andrew Derbyshire, and John Voelcker; collaboration with Crooke, Derbyshire, Voelcker, and others in the production of Plan magazine, 1949-1950; publication of a short essay on Geddes' Notation of Life co-written with Keatinge-Clay in Cities in Evolution edited by Jaqueline Tyrwhitt, 1949; travels in Europe, 1948-1952 -- meeting Sigfried Giedion and Giancarlo de Carlo --attending CIAM meetings in Bergamo, 1949 and in Hoddesdon, 1951 --internship with BBPR in Milan; attending CIAM summer school in Venice, 1952 -- meeting with Peruvian architect Eduardo Neira; move to Peru, 1957 -- lecturing on planning theory in Lima, carrying out small projects for Eduardo Neira's architectural office, taking up a position with the Oficina de Asistencia Técnica in Arequipa (OATA) -- development of projects to improve conditions in barriadas (squatter settlements); earthquake in Arequipa, January 1958 -- urgency of rebuilding housing opens up the possibility of experimentation with self-help construction -- subsequent need to leave OATA due to political factors; collaboration with anthropologist Eduardo Soler on consultants' report to improve housing for a sugar mill in Paramonga, 1960-1961; work in Paramonga interrupted by involvement with securing a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank to implement a nationwide program of self-build housing, 1961 -- involvement with this program cut short as forced out of Peruvian civil service due to status as foreign national -- continued involvement with housing projects in Lima (especially at Ventanilla and Villa Los Angeles) as a technical expert employed by the British government; leaving Peru for Harvard-MIT Joint Center on Urban Studies, 1965; recent involvement with the Hastings Trust.

transcript: : 56, 32, 21, 56 p.

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7969015

Nolan, Norton & Company, Incorporated

Related Entities

There are 6 Entities related to this resource.

Turner, John F. C.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m65z39 (person)

Architect and writer. From the description of Oral history interview with John F.C. Turner, 2007. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 678475170 ...

Joint Center for Housing Studies of MIT and Harvard University

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6zh3kkg (corporateBody)

Hastings Trust.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6h48jt8 (corporateBody)

Architectural Association (Great Britain)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6548mdm (corporateBody)

The Architectural Association (AA) was founded in London in 1847 by a group of young articled pupils led by Robert Kerr (1823-1904) and Charles Gray (1828-?). Inaugurated primarily as a reaction against the prevailing conditions under which architectural training could be obtained, the AA has since developed into one of the most important and influential architectural schools in the world. The first formal meeting under the name of the Architectural Association took place in May 1847 at Lyons In...

Geddes, Patrick, Sir, 1854-1932

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6zw1tn9 (person)

Resident of Battle Creek, MI. From the description of Letters, 1853-1858. (Clarke Historical Library). WorldCat record id: 31944977 Sir Patrick Geddes (1854-1932) was a biologist, sociologist and town planner with a strong interest in education, the arts, history and many other subjects. He believed strongly in the inter-relationships between all branches of knowledge. Geddes grew up and was educated in Scotland, and studied biology in London. After a professional career as ...

Gyger, Helen

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6tf492w (person)