Michael Manser

{{Short description|British architect (1929–2016)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Use British English|date=September 2016}} {{Infobox person | honorific_prefix = | name = Michael John Manser | honorific_suffix = {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|RA}} | image =  | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1929|3|23|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|06|08|1929|3|23|df=y}} | death_place = | monuments = | other_names = | citizenship = | education = | alma_mater = Regent Street Polytechnic | occupation = Architect | years_active = | employer = Michael Manser Associates (now The Manser Practice) | organization = | agent = | known_for = | notable_works = | style = | spouse = | partner = | children = Victoria (1956) Jonathan (1955) | parents = | relatives = }} '''Michael Manser''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|CBE|RA}} (23 March 1929 – 8 June 2016) was a British architect. He was a president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and established his own successful architecture practice in 1961.<ref>{{cite web|title=Michael Manser, Esq, CBE, RA|url=http://www.debretts.com/people/biographies/browse/m/1726/Michael+John.aspx|work=Debrett's|accessdate=12 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2016/jun/17/michael-manser-obituary|title=Michael Manser obituary|first=Elain|last=Harwood|date=17 June 2016|work=The Guardian|accessdate=20 June 2016}}</ref>

==Education and career== Born in Bristol, Manser studied architecture at Regent Street Polytechnic, now the University of Westminster. Before setting up his own practice Michael Manser Associates in 1961, Manser worked in London and the West Indies for Norman and Dawbarn.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pair of aces|url=http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/home/people/188919.article|work=Architects' Journal|accessdate=12 July 2012|date=2 March 2000}}</ref> He later became the non-executive chairman of the Manser Practice. His son Jonathan is now managing director. His daughter Victoria has her own architectural practice.

Manser was president of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1983-85 and was elected a member of the Royal Academy in November 1994.<ref>{{cite web|title=Michael Manser RA|url=http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/academicians/architects/michael-manser-ra,142,AR.html|work=Royal Academy|accessdate=12 July 2012}}</ref> He was honoured with a CBE in 1993, but declined the honour in 1988 due to the controversy over modern architecture with Prince Charles and an infamous lecture<ref>{{cite web|title=A speech by HRH The Prince of Wales at the 150th anniversary of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Gala Evening at Hampton Court Palace |url=http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/speechesandarticles/a_speech_by_hrh_the_prince_of_wales_at_the_150th_anniversary_1876801621.html |work=The Prince of Wales |accessdate=12 July 2012 |date=30 May 1984 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927213205/http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/speechesandarticles/a_speech_by_hrh_the_prince_of_wales_at_the_150th_anniversary_1876801621.html |archivedate=27 September 2007 }}</ref> for the 150th anniversary of the RIBA during Manser's presidency of the institute.<ref>{{cite web|title=Architecture gains two honours|url=http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/home/architecture-gains-two-honours/136791.article|work=Architects' Journal|accessdate=12 July 2012|date=8 January 2004}}</ref>

In 2001, ''Architects' Journal'' inaugurated the annual Manser Medal, named after Michael Manser, to recognise the best completed house in the UK.<ref name="Manser Medal">{{cite web |title=The Manser Medal |url=https://www.mansermedal.co.uk/ |website=Manser Medal |accessdate=6 April 2020}}</ref>

==Notable buildings== *Waterlooville Baptist Church, Waterlooville, Hampshire (1967)<ref>{{cite book|last=Lloyd|first=David W.|title=Buildings of Portsmouth and its Environs: A survey of the dockyard, defences, homes, churches, commercial, civic and public buildings|year=1974|publisher=City of Portsmouth|location=Portsmouth|isbn=0-901559-53-9|page=135}}</ref> *Capel Manor House, 1970<ref>{{cite web|title=Living in a glass house|url=http://www.qatar-tribune.com/data/20120511/content.asp?section=Chillout3_1|work=Qatar Tribune|accessdate=12 July 2012|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130201163506/http://www.qatar-tribune.com/data/20120511/content.asp?section=Chillout3_1|archivedate=1 February 2013}}</ref> *The Quell, Haslemere, Surrey: private house (1985)<ref>{{cite web |title=The Quell, Haslemere |url=https://www.primelocation.com/for-sale/details/51100005?search_identifier=a32d990bc82753af0909e6e5fb34ffc1#RyiVUkgOTByK1oRZ.97 |website=Primelocation}}</ref> *Hilton Hotel (originally Sterling Hotel), Heathrow Terminal 4, 1990 *Southampton Airport, 1994 *British High Commission (Umoja House), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 2002

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{official website|http://www.manser.co.uk/}} * [http://www.racollection.org.uk/ixbin/indexplus?_IXACTION_=file&_IXFILE_=templates/full/person.html&_IXTRAIL_=Academicians&person=6141 Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Manser, Michael}} Category:1929 births Category:2016 deaths Category:Architects from Bristol Category:Modernist architects from the United Kingdom Category:Presidents of the Royal Institute of British Architects Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Royal Academicians Category:Alumni of the Regent Street Polytechnic