December 14, 1901 - Berthold Lubetkin

Architect who managed to build Modernism to empower people

Berthold Lubetkin

Berthold Lubetkin was born in Tbilisi, Georgia and spent his childhood in Russia. This man is considered one of most noted architects in Post War British architecture.  He is believed to have more listed buildings to his credit than any other 20th century architect in Great Britain.

Berthold Lubetkin

While was studying art in Moscow and Leningrad, as a teenager he witnessed Bolshevik revolution of 1917. This left a huge impact on his personality and creativity for the rest of his life. As many other creative minds of that time, he was consumed by Constructivism and was taking parts in street festivals. In 1920s he studied in Berlin, Warsaw and Paris.

Bevin Court Staircase, London

By the late 1920s, Modernism had become an important movement in Europe.

Betrhold Lubetkin moved to London. But in England, Modernism had yet to arrive and Lubetkin was ready to be it's pioneer and lead Modernism movement.

Penguin Pool of London Zoo

His prime years in practice was in 1930s. He founded the famous Tecton practice with the Architectural Association graduates Anthony Chitty, Lindsay Drake, Michael Dugdale, Valentine Harding, Godfrey Samuel and Francis Skinner. And it was dissolved in 1939.

Genesta Road

His projects include:

Bevin Court, London,

Apartments in Highgate, London,

Housing estate in Clerkenwell, London,

The Finsbury Health Centre in the Finsbury area of London,

Spa Green Estate London,

Dudley Zoo in Dudley,

Apartments in Islington, London.