"Waiting for Robbins” Modernist Architecture as a Representation of Transitional Education at the Royal Technical College, Salford, 1961-1964.

Hadfield, Simon

Abstract

Was the University of Salford a ‘new university’? Both technically and legally, Salford became a new university via Royal Charter on 4 April 1967. However, the University’s history can be traced back to its foundations in 1892. The Vice Chancellor, Whitworth (1968, p. 7), claimed “this newness cloaks its maturity; spiritual, physical and academic.” Similar to other educational providers, the University was shaped by and contributed to society (Venables, 1978, p. 11). This architectural historiography explores the factors that prompted the University’s modernisation in response to government legislation, specifically the White Paper on Technical Education (1956) and the Robbins Committee Report on Higher Education (1963). The investigation considers the impact of these reports to help understand the institution’s motivations and aspirations to evolve, and why modernist architecture was chosen to reflect this period of transformation. This era was characterised by a science and technology revolution when education was central to the United Kingdom’s prosperity. Simultaneously, after World War II, a global movement of Modernism helped facilitate national redevelopment, with architectural designs embracing new styles and construction methods to rebuild cities and towns, including the City of Salford. As a time of novel economic forces, particularly 1961-1964, when architectural masterplans responded to progressive teaching, leadership, and governance. Ambitions were echoed through diversifying curricula, new styles of pedagogy and emerging student communities. The study aims to understand these campus ideals within the context of new universities, specifically the Plateglass Universities with which Salford is closely associated. Whether considered utopian or not, envisioning another wave of new universities was almost impossible (Taylor & Pellew, 2020, p. 11). By examining this period’s historical significance, new research develops a present-day narrative which contributes to a greater understanding of the country’s mid-twentieth century higher education and architectural landscape.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Apr 9, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 1, 2024
• Keywords: Modernism, modernist architecture, modern architecture, Brutalism, modernisation, higher education, University of Salford, Salford, Manchester, Greater Manchester, postwar, twentieth century, architectural heritage, technical education, Royal Technical College Salford, Royal College of Advanced Technology, Salford, civic university, Plateglass University
• Award Date: May 31, 2024