Diana Rowntree facts for kids

Diana Rowntree (born May 14, 1915 – died August 22, 2008) was a talented British architect and a writer about buildings. She helped design places and also taught people about good design through her articles and books.

Diana Rowntree's Life and Work

Becoming an Architect

Diana studied at two important places: Somerville College, Oxford and the Architectural Association School of Architecture. She finished her studies in 1939. Right after, she joined an architecture firm run by Jane Drew.

During World War II, Diana worked on an interesting project. Her firm helped the War Office create fake factories. These were designed to trick enemy bombers and keep real factories safe.

Writing About Design

In the mid-1950s, Diana started working in architectural journalism. She became the first architectural writer for The Guardian newspaper. She also worked as a news editor for Architectural Design magazine.

In 1964, Diana wrote a book called Diana's Interior Design: A Penguin Handbook. This book was seen as a very important work. It focused on simple and logical design ideas for homes.

By the mid-1960s, Diana went back to working on her own architectural projects. She continued her writing work at the same time.

Family Life

In 1939, Diana Rowntree married Kenneth Rowntree. He was a well-known painter.