Francis Fowke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Fowke
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 7 July 1823 |
| Died | 4 December 1865 (aged 42) London, England
|
| Nationality | Irish |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Buildings | Victoria & Albert Museum Chiswick House Royal Albert Hall Royal Museum Edinburgh |
Francis Fowke (1823–1865) was a talented Irish engineer and architect. He was also a Captain in the Corps of Royal Engineers. Fowke often designed buildings in the beautiful Renaissance style. He also used new ideas, like iron frames, to create large, open spaces.
Francis Fowke was born in Ballysillan, Belfast, Ireland. He went to school at The Royal School Dungannon and the Royal Military Academy. After his studies, he became an officer in the Royal Engineers. He worked in places like Bermuda and Paris. When he came back to England, he became a lead architect and engineer for government buildings.
Contents
Fowke's Famous Buildings
Francis Fowke designed many important buildings. He used new building methods for his time. These methods allowed for bigger, more open spaces inside.
London Landmarks
In London, Fowke helped design parts of the famous Victoria and Albert Museum. He also worked on the Royal Albert Hall. This building is still used today for concerts and events.
Buildings Across the UK
Fowke's work can be seen in other cities too. He designed the Prince Consort's Library in Aldershot. In Edinburgh, he created the Industrial Museum of Scotland. This museum is now known as the National Museum of Scotland. He also worked on the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin.
The 1862 International Exhibition
Fowke was also in charge of planning the 1862 International Exhibition in London. This was a huge event to show off new inventions and art. The building for the exhibition was very large. However, it was later taken apart. Its materials were used to build Alexandra Palace.
His Legacy
Francis Fowke died suddenly in 1865. He had won a competition to design the Natural History Museum. Sadly, he did not live to see it built. Another architect, Alfred Waterhouse, later finished the museum. Waterhouse used Fowke's ideas but made some changes.
After Fowke's death, the Royal Engineers created a special medal. It was a prize for great architectural work. Today, this prize is given to the best student in a Royal Engineers course.
Gallery of Architectural Work
-
Victoria & Albert Museum, original main entrance
-
Royal Albert Hall
-
Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art (Royal Museum)
-
Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art (Royal Museum), main hall
