Derek Walker facts for kids

Derek John Walker (born June 15, 1929 – died May 11, 2015) was a British architect. He was famous for designing cities and large buildings. He also planned fun places like shopping centers and parks through his company, Derek Walker Associates.

Derek Walker's Career in Architecture

After serving in the military, Derek Walker studied architecture at Leeds Art School. Later, he studied city planning at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. In 1960, he came back to the UK and started his own architecture business in Leeds.

Designing Milton Keynes

From 1970 to 1976, Walker was the main architect and planner for the new town of Milton Keynes. He put together a team of experts. Over seven years, they created a plan for the 'new city'. This plan included how to use the land, designs for eleven small villages, and a way to build 3,000 homes each year. They also planned places for the community, fun activities, shops, sports, and cultural events.

The Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre

One of his most famous buildings was the Central Milton Keynes Shopping Centre. When it opened in 1979, it was a very new idea. It had about 1,000,000 square feet (93,000 square meters) of shops. The design was special because it had covered streets with plants and trees inside. In 2010, this building was given a special "Grade II listing". This means it is an important historical building that should be protected.

Other Important Projects

In 1980, Walker worked with other famous architects like Norman Foster. They worked on a plan to make the Whitney Museum in New York City bigger.

Teaching Architecture

Derek Walker also taught architecture. He led the architecture course at the Royal College of Art in London from 1984 to 1990. He was also a visiting professor at several universities in the United States. These included the University of California, Los Angeles, the University of Southern California, and the University of Pennsylvania.

The Royal Armouries Museum

Walker was also the architect for the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds. This big project cost about £42.5 million. It opened to the public in 1996.

About Derek Walker's Life

Derek Walker was born on June 15, 1929, in Blackburn, Lancashire. However, his family moved to Leeds in West Yorkshire when he was very young. He was married and had two sons, Matthew and Alex.

Walker loved sports throughout his life. He was very passionate about cricket. He was also a big fan of the Leeds United Football Club.

Notable Projects by Derek Walker Associates

Here are some of the important projects Derek Walker and his team worked on:

• Royal Armouries Museum, Leeds (1996)
• Big changes to the Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong
• The Whitney Museum extension in New York, with Sir Norman Foster
• Kowloon Park in Hong Kong, which included Olympic Pools, a Sports hall, a big open area (Piazza), a Sculpture walk, and a Chinese garden.
• A new training place for horses for the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club at Shatin
• The main plan for the New City of Jubail in Saudi Arabia
• The Lijnbaan covered Shopping Precinct in the City of Rotterdam
• A proposal for "Wonderworld," a theme park on a 1,000-acre (4 square kilometer) site in Corby
• The main plan for Clarence Dock, a mixed-use development in Leeds
• The main plan for the Telluride Year Round Resort in Colorado, USA
• A concept and detailed design for the National Museum of the United States Army in Washington D.C.