Percy Thomas Partnership
Encyclopedia
Percy Thomas Partnership was a trading name of the award-winning British architectural practice originally set up by Percy Thomas
(1883-1969) in Cardiff
, Wales
in 1911/12. Percy Thomas and his practice put their name to a number of landmark buildings in the United Kingdom including the Wales Millennium Centre
, Cardiff. It opened offices overseas and completed a number of prestigious buildings in Hong Kong.
Percy Thomas Partnership came to an end in 2004 when they went into administration and were bought by Capita Group
.
was born in the northeast of England
in 1883 but was well-travelled and started work as at a young age in Cardiff, Wales. He was articled to study architecture and won the National Eisteddfod of Wales
architecture competition in 1903. He returned to England to work, but began collaborating with Ivor Jones of Cardiff, in architectural competitions. In 1911 they won the competition to design Cardiff's new technical college
and Thomas returned to Cardiff to work in partnership with Jones.
Percy Thomas's architectural practice was set up in 1911/12.
During the 1920's and 1930's the practice won a large number of commissions to design important civic buildings in Wales and England, including county offices for Glamorgan
and Carmarthenshire
, Lord Davies' Temple of Peace
, Swansea Civic Centre, Aberystwyth University campus and a redesign of London's Euston Station.
The partnership with Ivor Jones was amicably dissolved in 1937.
In 1946 Percy Thomas was knighted. In the same year Percy Thomas's son Norman joined the practice - which became known as Sir Percy Thomas & Son.
In 1952 William Marsden and Wallace Sweet joined the practice. John Francis Vergette joined (in Swansea
) in 1955.
Percy Thomas became seriously ill in 1962, retiring from the company in 1963.
In 1965 Sir Percy Thomas & Son were commissioned to design a new Catholic Cathedral
for the city of Bristol
. The architect was Ronald Weeks A.R.I.B.A. Dipl Arch. It was consecrated in 1973, by which time the architectural practice was known as Percy Thomas Partnership.
John Vergette became Chairman and Chief Executive of Percy Thomas Partnership. He founded the Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) and was president 1971-73.
PRP eventually had six offices in the United Kingdom. It also opened offices overseas, including Malaysia and Hong Kong.
One of PRP's last works was the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. It was designed by Jonathan Adams who had joined the practice in 1998. The award selectors for the Wales National Eisteddfod Gold Medal for Architecture 2005 described the building as "a special place which will provide a focal point for the unique culture, identity and talents of Wales... The large mass of the building has been successfully formed into an impressive edifice as opposed to an oppressive monolith... In terms of texture, colour, selection of materials and spatial experience this is a feast to be enjoyed".
project for the Ministry of Defence
and delays of a number of other key projects. At the time, they had a turnover of £6 million, with 100 staff.
The company was bought by the large British outsourcing company, Capita
, who created a new arm of their property consultancy division called Capita Percy Thomas. The staff and several senior directors were transferred to Capita.
In 2007 the name 'Percy Thomas' came to an end in the UK when Capita consolidated the architecture divisions within Capita Symonds
into a new brand called 'Capita Architecture'.
Wales Millennium Centre website | The Building
Percy Thomas
Sir Percy Edward Thomas OBE , was an award-winning British architect based in Wales for the majority of his life. He was twice RIBA president ....
(1883-1969) in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1911/12. Percy Thomas and his practice put their name to a number of landmark buildings in the United Kingdom including the Wales Millennium Centre
Wales Millennium Centre
Wales Millennium Centre is an arts centre located in the Cardiff Bay area of Cardiff, Wales. The site covers a total area of . Phase 1 of the building was opened during the weekend of the 26–28 November 2004 and phase 2 opened on 22 January 2009 with an inaugural concert...
, Cardiff. It opened offices overseas and completed a number of prestigious buildings in Hong Kong.
Percy Thomas Partnership came to an end in 2004 when they went into administration and were bought by Capita Group
Capita Group
The Capita Group Plc , commonly known as Capita Group or Capita, is a business process outsourcing and recruitment company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest business process outsourcing company in the UK, with an overall market share of 27% in 2009, and has clients in...
.
History
Percy Edward ThomasPercy Thomas
Sir Percy Edward Thomas OBE , was an award-winning British architect based in Wales for the majority of his life. He was twice RIBA president ....
was born in the northeast of England
North East England
North East England is one of the nine official regions of England. It covers Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Teesside . The only cities in the region are Durham, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland...
in 1883 but was well-travelled and started work as at a young age in Cardiff, Wales. He was articled to study architecture and won the National Eisteddfod of Wales
National Eisteddfod of Wales
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
architecture competition in 1903. He returned to England to work, but began collaborating with Ivor Jones of Cardiff, in architectural competitions. In 1911 they won the competition to design Cardiff's new technical college
Bute Building
Bute Building is occupied by Cardiff University and is a grade II listed building in Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales. It currently houses the Welsh School of Architecture and the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies....
and Thomas returned to Cardiff to work in partnership with Jones.
Percy Thomas's architectural practice was set up in 1911/12.
During the 1920's and 1930's the practice won a large number of commissions to design important civic buildings in Wales and England, including county offices for Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
and Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, Lord Davies' Temple of Peace
Temple of Peace, Cardiff
The Welsh National Temple of Peace and Health, as known as the Temple of Peace, is a non-religious civic building in the civic centre of Cardiff, Wales. It was designed by the architect Sir Percy Thomas.-Location:...
, Swansea Civic Centre, Aberystwyth University campus and a redesign of London's Euston Station.
The partnership with Ivor Jones was amicably dissolved in 1937.
In 1946 Percy Thomas was knighted. In the same year Percy Thomas's son Norman joined the practice - which became known as Sir Percy Thomas & Son.
In 1952 William Marsden and Wallace Sweet joined the practice. John Francis Vergette joined (in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
) in 1955.
Percy Thomas became seriously ill in 1962, retiring from the company in 1963.
In 1965 Sir Percy Thomas & Son were commissioned to design a new Catholic Cathedral
Clifton Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Paul is the Roman Catholic cathedral in the English city of Bristol. Located in the Clifton area of the city, it is the seat of the Diocese of Clifton and is known as Clifton Cathedral....
for the city of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
. The architect was Ronald Weeks A.R.I.B.A. Dipl Arch. It was consecrated in 1973, by which time the architectural practice was known as Percy Thomas Partnership.
John Vergette became Chairman and Chief Executive of Percy Thomas Partnership. He founded the Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) and was president 1971-73.
PRP eventually had six offices in the United Kingdom. It also opened offices overseas, including Malaysia and Hong Kong.
One of PRP's last works was the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. It was designed by Jonathan Adams who had joined the practice in 1998. The award selectors for the Wales National Eisteddfod Gold Medal for Architecture 2005 described the building as "a special place which will provide a focal point for the unique culture, identity and talents of Wales... The large mass of the building has been successfully formed into an impressive edifice as opposed to an oppressive monolith... In terms of texture, colour, selection of materials and spatial experience this is a feast to be enjoyed".
Awards
- R.I.B.A.RibaRiba means one of the senses of "usury" . Riba is forbidden in Islamic economic jurisprudence fiqh and considered as a major sin...
Bronze Medal in 1938 for the design of the Temple of Peace, CardiffTemple of Peace, CardiffThe Welsh National Temple of Peace and Health, as known as the Temple of Peace, is a non-religious civic building in the civic centre of Cardiff, Wales. It was designed by the architect Sir Percy Thomas.-Location:...
.. - R.I.B.A.RibaRiba means one of the senses of "usury" . Riba is forbidden in Islamic economic jurisprudence fiqh and considered as a major sin...
Gold Medal for the design of the Swinton Town HallSalford Civic CentreSalford Civic Centre is located in Salford, Great Manchester, England. It is the location for the Council Chamber and committee rooms, as well as being the administrative headquarters, for Salford City Council....
. - Concrete Society Award (1974) for Clifton Cathedral (a 'Winner of Winners' Award was achieved in 2007 for the quality and longevity of its concrete).
- National Eisteddfod of Wales 1983 Gold Medal for Architecture for the Amersham International Laboratories, Cardiff.
- RIBA Wales Award (2005) for the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff.
- National Eisteddfod of Wales 2005 Gold Medal for Architecture, for the Wales Millennium Centre.
Key Buildings and Projects
- Cardiff Technical CollegeBute BuildingBute Building is occupied by Cardiff University and is a grade II listed building in Cathays Park, Cardiff, Wales. It currently houses the Welsh School of Architecture and the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies....
, Cathays park, Cardiff (opened 1916). Competition to design the building was won by Percy Thomas and Ivor Jones in 1911. - Bristol Police StationCentral Police Station, BristolThe Central Police Station , also known as the Bridewell is a historic building on Nelson Street, Broadmead, Bristol, England.-History:It was built in 1928 by Ivor Jones and Percy Thomas and opened as a police station in November 1930 near the site of a previous station. Neighbouring buildings...
and Bristol Fire Station, Bristol (opened 1930). - Aberystwyth University Campus, Penglais, Aberystwyth (1935/1966). Masterplans for the campus were designed by Percy Thomas in 1935 and Percy Thomas Partnership in 1966.
- The Guildhall, Swansea (opened 1938).
- Swinton Town Hall, Swinton and Pendlebury, Lancashire (opened Sept 1938). Competition to design it was won by Percy Thomas and Ernest Prestwich.
- Temple of PeaceTemple of Peace, CardiffThe Welsh National Temple of Peace and Health, as known as the Temple of Peace, is a non-religious civic building in the civic centre of Cardiff, Wales. It was designed by the architect Sir Percy Thomas.-Location:...
, Cathays Park, Cardiff (opened Nov 1938) - Hiatt Baker Hall, Bristol University, Stoke Bishop (opened 1966).
- Aberystwyth Arts CentreAberystwyth Arts CentreAberystwyth Arts Centre is one of Wales' busiest and largest arts centres, based on Aberystwyth University's Penglais campus Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales...
, Aberystwyth University, Wales (opened 1970/2). - Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and PaulClifton CathedralThe Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Paul is the Roman Catholic cathedral in the English city of Bristol. Located in the Clifton area of the city, it is the seat of the Diocese of Clifton and is known as Clifton Cathedral....
, Clifton, Bristol (consecrated 1973) - Symphony Hall, BirminghamSymphony Hall, BirminghamSymphony Hall is a 2,262 seat concert venue located inside the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, England. It was officially opened by the Queen in June 1991, although had been opened on April 15, 1991. It is home to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and hosts around 270 events...
(opened 1991). - Swanlea Secondary SchoolSwanlea School, Business and Enterprise CollegeSwanlea School, Business and Enterprise College, is a secondary school of over 1000 students on roll, it also has a collaborative sixth-form which is on site known as Cambridge Heath Sixth Form with 360 students on-roll...
, Tower Hamlets, London, in collaboration with Hampshire County ArchitectsHampshire County ArchitectsHampshire County Architects are the award-winning in-house architects studio of Hampshire County Council, England. They have a particular reputation for good school design...
(opened 1993). The school building was passively heated and ventilated. - City University of Hong KongCity University of Hong KongCity University of Hong Kong is a comprehensive research university in Hong Kong. It was founded in 1984 as City Polytechnic of Hong Kong and became a fully accredited university in 1994. It has achieved fast growth in recent years and received international recognition for its academic achievements...
, Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
(completed 1993). This project was won in an international competition, in collaboration with Fitch and Chung. - Wishaw General HospitalWishaw General HospitalWishaw General Hospital is a district general hospital in the Craigneuk area of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire.-The Hospital:Wishaw General Hospital opened on 29 May 2001. It is a 633-bedded hospital, with the second-largest maternity unit in Scotland, delivering 5500 babies each year...
, LanarkshireLanarkshireLanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Scotland (completed 2001). - Wales Millennium CentreWales Millennium CentreWales Millennium Centre is an arts centre located in the Cardiff Bay area of Cardiff, Wales. The site covers a total area of . Phase 1 of the building was opened during the weekend of the 26–28 November 2004 and phase 2 opened on 22 January 2009 with an inaugural concert...
, Cardiff (opened 2004). £106 million opera house and arts venue.
Administration and buy-out
In June 2004 Percy Thomas Partnership went into administration after cancellation of a large PFIPrivate Finance Initiative
The private finance initiative is a way of creating "public–private partnerships" by funding public infrastructure projects with private capital...
project for the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and delays of a number of other key projects. At the time, they had a turnover of £6 million, with 100 staff.
The company was bought by the large British outsourcing company, Capita
Capita Group
The Capita Group Plc , commonly known as Capita Group or Capita, is a business process outsourcing and recruitment company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest business process outsourcing company in the UK, with an overall market share of 27% in 2009, and has clients in...
, who created a new arm of their property consultancy division called Capita Percy Thomas. The staff and several senior directors were transferred to Capita.
In 2007 the name 'Percy Thomas' came to an end in the UK when Capita consolidated the architecture divisions within Capita Symonds
Capita Symonds
Capita Symonds is part of the Capita Group.Capita Symonds is a large UK multidisciplinary consultancy operating in the building design, civil engineering, environment, management and transport sectors....
into a new brand called 'Capita Architecture'.
External Links
Percy Thomas Architects Planners and Designers (Hong Kong)Wales Millennium Centre website | The Building