Leslie Wilkinson | |
|---|---|
 Professor Leslie Wilkinson by Anthony Browell | |
| Born | 12 October 1882 New Southgate, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 20 September 1973 (aged 90) Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Arts |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Practice | University of Sydney |
Leslie Wilkinson OBE, FRAIA, ARIBA (12 October 1882 – 20 September 1973) was a UK-born Australian architect and academic. He was the founding dean of the faculty of architecture at University of Sydney in 1920. A traditionalist, he is known for his residential and church architecture.
Leslie Wilkinson was born on 12 October 1882 at New Southgate, Middlesex, England, the younger son of commercial clerk Edward Henry Wilkinson.[1]
In his early years, he studied at St Edward's School, Oxford and at the Royal Academy of Arts, London, winning several awards, including the touring scholarship (1904,1905) that allowed him to travel to France, Italy, Spain and England. It was in these early years that his love of Mediterranean and Italian Renaissance architecture developed.[1] In 1903, Wilkinson had become assistant to noted architect James Gibson, while also studying and entering competitions.
Wilkinson was an associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1907. In 1908, he became Professor F. M. Simpson's assistant at University College in London and later became assistant professor. He enlisted in the Territorial Force during World War I.[citation needed]
In 1918, he was appointed to the new chair of architecture (within the faculty of science) at the University of Sydney. Arriving later that year, he threw his energy into the creation of a faculty of architecture; succeeding in 1920, he became the first dean of the school that became to be known as the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning.[citation needed]
Throughout his time in Australia, Wilkinson also continued to practise as an architect. He was appointed architect for the University of Sydney in 1919, where he contributed to the university's master plan (inspired by the Walter Burley Griffin's previous unused 1915 campus masterplan),[2] as well as a number of building projects. He also designed over 30 commissions for houses and flats, and some church designs.[3]
In 1933, he became president of the newly formed New South Wales state chapter of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA), and in 1937 was a founding member of Robert Menzies' anti-modernist Australian Academy of Artists.[4]
In 1961 the RAIA NSW Chapter created a new named annual architecture award, called the Wilkinson Award for residential architecture.
The Wilkinson Building, which houses the University of Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning, was named in his honour.[5]
Wilkinson died on 20 September 1973 in the Sydney suburb of Vaucluse.[1]
His ideals on architecture as a form of art had strongly influenced both the school and its students. The emphasis on the teaching of philosophy and practice of design was at the time a frontier in architecture education.[6] Wilkinson was never a part of the modern architecture movement. His work, both as a teacher and practising architect, was consistently involved only with traditional architecture, which was inspired by Australian's colonial heritage and Mediterranean architecture. This reflected his training at the Royal Academy of Arts and his study tours in France, Italy, Spain and Great Britain. Wilkinson's influential work is seen in residential and church architecture, and the University of Sydney master plan.[7]
