25/9/03

Cedric Price

He was a charismatic architect, larger than life. He visibly stood for the social principles of architects who inherited standards of social engagement from the 1930s generation. He was always characteristically 'smart' with a preference for black or grey; smart but cool in a wide wool tie, white collar and discreetly striped shirt. His most famous work, the London Zoo Aviary was a superbly elegant high-tech structure, well ahead of its time. This was followed in 1961 by the Fun Palace (with Joan Littlewood), brimming with new ideas and celebrating the options for pleasure and entertainment notwithstanding a grey labour world. The third great public project was the proposal (for the government of the time) for the Potteries Thinkbelt (1964).