Frank Murphy (architect) facts for kids

Frank Murphy (born 1916, died 1993) was a famous Irish architect. He was born in Cork and worked mostly in the 1950s and 1960s. He designed many cool modern buildings. People remember him as one of Cork's most important and exciting modern architects. Some even called him "Cork's unsung hero of Modernism."

Frank Murphy's Life and Career

All Saints Church, Drimoleague, West Cork (1954-1956)

Cork Distillers Bottling plant, 1964

Frank Murphy was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1916. He studied architecture at University College Dublin. He finished his studies in 1939. The very next year, he opened his own architecture business in Cork city.

Frank Murphy got ideas from buildings in Scandinavia and America. His designs often had interesting shapes and big glass walls. These glass walls are sometimes called "curtain wall facades." He used these ideas in shop fronts and bigger buildings. For example, you can see his style in places like Thompson's Bakery and the Cork Distillers Bottling plant. Frank Murphy designed many different types of buildings. These included churches, factories, offices, homes, and shop fronts. He sometimes used unusual materials in his designs.

In 1956, Frank Murphy designed the first modern building in West Cork. It was called All Saints Church in Drimoleague. Later, in 1966, he designed Cork city's first office building made just for offices. This building was named 'Sutton House'. In 1968, Frank Murphy became worried. He saw many old and historic buildings in Cork City being torn down. To help save them, he started a group called the Cork Preservation Society.

In 1975, he won a big award called the Europa Nostra Medal. He got it for helping to fix up an old building called Skiddy's Almshouse. This award showed how much he cared about saving history. The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland gave him this special award.

Notable Buildings and Projects

Sutton House (1965)

Frank Murphy designed many important buildings. Here are some of his well-known projects:

• Jenning's Soda Water Factory, Cork City (1949)
• Belmont Hospital, Ferrybank, Waterford (1950)
• Ballyphehane Convent, Cork City (1955)
• Drimoleague Church, West Cork (1956)
• Mayne's Pharmacy, Pembroke Street, Cork City (1960)
• Cork Distiller's Bottling Plant, Cork City (1964)
• Sutton House, Cork City (1965)
• Dale House, Leytenstone, London (1965)
• Thompson's Bakery, MacCurtain Street, Cork City (1966)
• Skiddy's Almshouse Restoration, Shandon Cork City (1975)