Unique, architect-designed plates recognise support for the Architects Benevolent Society.
City of London livery companies are known for their plate - impressive collections of gold and silverware - but the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects proudly displays original ceramic art plates in its hall.
These artworks have been designed by many of the UK's leading architects. The hall is not generally open to the public, but I have been given exclusive permission to reproduce photos of the plates by the Company's Head of Outreach and Education, Grant Smith.
Walks available for booking
For a schedule of forthcoming London On The Ground guided walks, including the next tour of the area around Temple Bar (which includes access to the inside of the gatehouse and the architects' plates), please click here.
The Architects' Company has the youngest and smallest livery hall. This consists of a little room inside Temple Bar, a 17th century stone gatehouse between St Paul's Cathedral and Paternoster Square (see my post on the Temple Bar Memorial for more on the background to the gatehouse), and a slightly larger room in the 21st century building that adjoins it.
The Architects' Company awards an original ceramic plate each year in recognition of fund raising efforts in support of the Architects Benevolent Society (ABS). The ABS offers advice and support to architects and their families in times of need.
Every year since 2003 the Master of the Architects' Company commissions a member to design a new plate, which is presented in September at the final formal function of the Master's year in office. Only one replica of each plate is made, for display on the wall of the Company's hall on Paternoster Square.
Peter Murray, a Past Master, has the distinction of being the only person so far to have commissioned, won, designed and been featured in plates for the ABS award.
However, he will soon be joined by Chris Williamson, who will commission one in his role as the current Master of the Company. He has previously won and designed a plate and featured in one.
Designers of ABS plates are all eminent architects. Among their number are Sir Terry Farrell (2005 plate), designer of the MI6 Building, Charing Cross Station and, in the City of London, 125 London Wall (Alban Gate).
A few other examples of plate designers are noted in the following paragraphs.
Ken Shuttleworth (2011 plate) worked with Norman Foster on, among other things, the Millennium Bridge and the Gherkin, before founding Make Architects in 2004 (whose buildings include the City of London Information Centre).
Eric Parry's (2008 plate) extensive London CV includes restoration work to St Martin-in-the-Fields and new buildings at 5 Aldermanbury Square, 30 Finsbury Square and the London Stock Exchange just across Paternoster Square from Temple Bar.
Angela Brady (2012 plate) was President of the Royal Institute of British Architects during the 2012 London Olympics.
Michael Hopkins, architect of the London 2012 Velodrome, depicted that building in his design for the 2014 ABS Team Award.
Karen Cook, a founder of PLP Architects, led the design of 22 Bishopsgate (the City of London's tallest building and the second tallest in the UK after the Shard) before leaving to form Spice Architects in 2022.
Her design for the 2023 plate portrays the ABS Chicken Run, a 5km fun run fund raiser for the Society. The imagery includes a crown (in the coronation year of Charles III) and a pencil, ruler and callipers (important architectural tools). She also shows Temple Bar - in front of the dome of St Paul's - and iconic London skyscrapers The Shard, the BT Tower and 22 Bishopsgate.
Temple Bar also appears prominently in Chris Williamson's 2020 design and can be seen in Sir Terry Farrell's 2005 plate. Careful inspection of the 2003 inaugural ABS plate, designed by David Rock, reveals that Temple Bar again features, this time as part of the coat of arms of the Architects' Company.
On a number of other occasions in addition to Karen Cook's 2023 Chicken Run design, the plate has been won by people that have undertaken a sponsored cycle ride or run to raise funds for the ABS.
This is evident in Sunand Prasad's design of 2014, depicting individual award winner Peter Murray on his bicycle (see above).
The Velodrome image in the 2014 Team Award echoes the winners' epic cycle ride from Portland, Oregon to Portland Place (headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects) over a three month period in 2013.
Peter Murray's own 'Wheels within Wheels' design for the 2018 plate combines a bicycle wheel, a wheelchair wheel, the London Eye and the Brighton i360. It was awarded to Ian Maskell, who pushed his wheelchair the 100 miles between the two landmarks after injuring his spine in a cycling accident.
Chris Williamson is shown running the London Marathon in Chris Dyson's 2019 design (see above). The reverse of the plate bears the words "Finishing a marathon is a state of mind that says anything is possible".
The plates
Below are photos of every plate awarded by the Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects to recognise support for the Architects Benevolent Society, from 2003 to 2023 (with thanks to Grant Smith for supplying the photos).
See the plates for yourself
The Architects' Company and the Temple Bar Trust open Temple Bar for some outreach events such as talks and as the start/end point for occasional guided walks.
I lead a walk around the neighbouring area every two months for the Temple Bar Trust, which includes access to the gatehouse and the adjoining room where the plates are displayed. This is next available on 23 May 2024 at 11am - see here for details and tickets
Walks available for booking
For a schedule of all forthcoming London On The Ground guided walks, please click here.
Commentaires