# Eric Lyons

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{{Short description|British designer and architect}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox architect
| name                  = Eric Lyons
| image                 = Eric Lyons (1912–1980).jpeg
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| caption               = Lyons in 1961
| birth_name            = Eric Alfred Lyons
| birth_date            = {{birth year|1912}}
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| death_date            = {{death year and age|1980|1912}}
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thumb|The Keep, Blackheath a typical set of houses to Eric Lyons' T2 design
'''Eric Alfred Lyons''' [CBE](/source/Order_of_the_British_Empire) (1912–1980) was a British [designer](/source/designer) and [architect](/source/architect). He achieved critical recognition in his development of family and technology-embracing housing communities in [England](/source/England) in the latter part of the 20th century. His partnership in [Span Developments](/source/Span_Developments) led to the building of over 73 estates, some of which have achieved [Conservation area](/source/Conservation_area) status in recognition of the close communities created with substantial garden areas, glass and light, façade angles used for privacy and decoration and separate [garage](/source/garage_(residential))s as a practical [Bauhaus](/source/Bauhaus) for car-based culture and high point of [Modern Architecture](/source/Modern_Architecture) widely described a "successful, experimental modernism".<ref name=consvndoc>[http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/602/Trees-Conservation-Areas-and-Listed-Buildings Spelthorne Borough Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717075133/http://www.spelthorne.gov.uk/article/602/Trees-Conservation-Areas-and-Listed-Buildings |date=17 July 2013 }} Manygate Lane Conservation Area appraisal: in supporting the "successful implementation of modernism" this source cites appraisals of Lyons' work in:<br>
''The Visual Dictionary of Buildings''– Dorling Kindersley<br>
''A History of English Architecture'' – Pelican<br>
''The Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan'' – John Newman<br>
''The Elements of Style'' – Mitchell Besley<br>
''Dictionary of Architecture'' – Penguin<br>
''Dictionary of Building'' – Penguin<br>
''A Vision of Britain'' – [Charles, Prince of Wales](/source/Charles%2C_Prince_of_Wales) - Doubleday</ref>

From 1936 to 1937 he worked for [Walter Gropius](/source/Walter_Gropius) and [Maxwell Fry](/source/Maxwell_Fry), in the short period that Gropius was in the UK. After [World War II](/source/World_War_II) he spent a number of years working on various projects, designing flat-pack furniture for Tecta and entering competitions.

It was in 1948 that Span was founded, with Eric Lyons, [Leslie Bilsby](/source/Leslie_Bilsby) and [Geoff Townsend](/source/Geoffrey_Paulson_Townsend) who had resigned from the [RIBA](/source/RIBA) to become a developer (RIBA rules at the time prohibited architects from being developers).

Span estates were typified by sharp Modernist designs with space, light and well-planned interiors, tempered with traditional features such as [hung tiles](/source/hung_tiles) and [stock brick](/source/stock_brick). Lavishly landscaped communal gardens were also a common feature of Lyons' designs.

Outside of his Span work, he developed a number of other schemes, such as public housing for [World's End](/source/World's_End%2C_Chelsea) in [Chelsea](/source/Chelsea%2C_London), Pitcairn House (1961-63)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.architecture.com/image-library/RIBApix/image-information/poster/pitcairn-house-frampton-park-estate-mare-street-london/posterid/RIBA43948.html|title=Pitcairn House, Frampton Park Estate, Mare Street, London {{!}} RIBA|website=RIBApix|access-date=2019-09-01}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=dorley-brown|first=chris|title=pitcairn house 1987-2013|date=1987-07-01|url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/chrisdb1/9163824635/|access-date=2019-09-01}}</ref> as part of the [LCC](/source/London_County_Council)'s Frampton Park Estate in [Hackney](/source/Hackney%2C_London), and his final development in [Vilamoura](/source/Vilamoura), [Portugal](/source/Portugal).

He was president of the [RIBA](/source/RIBA) from 1975 to 1977. He died in 1980 from [motor neurone disease](/source/motor_neurone_disease).

==References==
{{Reflist}} 

==External links==
*[http://www.highsett-cambridge.uk/h-o-m-e/4588850016 Highsett (Cambridge)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527052541/http://www.highsett-cambridge.uk/h-o-m-e/4588850016 |date=27 May 2019 }}
*[http://www.span-kent.co.uk/ New Ash Green history]
*[http://www.marshamlodge.co.uk/ Marsham Lodge]
*[http://www.templemere.co.uk/ Templemere]
*[http://www.fieldend.com/ Fieldend]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060929145548/http://www.riba.org/go/RIBA/News/Press_5728.html Riba exhibition in 2006]
*[http://www.elmf.org/about.html Eric Lyons Memorial Fund] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070320154205/http://www.elmf.org/about.html |date=20 March 2007 }}
*[http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=3077683 bdonline: Spanning a diverse art]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lyons, Eric}}
Category:1912 births
Category:1980 deaths
Category:20th-century English architects
Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Presidents of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Category:Deaths from motor neuron disease

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Eric Lyons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Lyons) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Lyons?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.