Two books mark Richard England's birthday

Many people receive a book or two for their birthday but few have had the occasion to celebrate their birthday with the launch of two books.

That's what happened to Richard England on Friday, when his wife Myriam, with help from a few friends, got together a book - 100 At 70: A Celebratory Album For Richard England - and another entitled Richard England: Architect As Artist.

The books celebrate Prof. England's career that spans 45 years.

"But by no means do they mark the end of it," Culture and Tourism Minister Francis Zammit Dimech said at the launch.

Prof. England is currently working on a meditation garden and centre for the Christian doctrine society Museum and on projects as far afield as Kazakhstan and Bulgaria.

The book Architect As Artist is edited by renowned British architect and eminent architectural writer and critic Dennis Sharp and brings together for the first time a selection of paintings, black and white drawings and photographs, creating a cross between an architect's sketchbook and an artist's workbook. It highlights the various facets of Prof. England, who is also a writer, sculptor, photographer and poet.

Prof. Sharp stressed his deep belief in the need for students of architecture to draw, something that Prof. England has been harping on for several years. "In this day and age where everything is done by computer, the ability to draw is fast being lost," Prof. England said.

The celebratory album, 100 At 70, is a surprise labour of love, sparked by Mrs England, who gathered a host of major names in the sphere of international, contemporary architecture, art and culture to celebrate Prof. England.

The book was designed by photographer Daniel Cilia, with a cover portrait by Luciano Micallef and back cover by Maurice Tanti Burlò. It was also steered by architect Conrad Thake and Charles Knevitt, former architecture correspondent of The Sunday Telegraph and The Times of London and director of the Royal Institute of British Architects Trust. He was also the author of Prof. England's first monograph, Connections.

Among the flattering contributions one finds those of some of the world's most acclaimed architects, including Norman Foster, Renzo Piano, Massimiliano Fuksas, Antoine Predock, Hans Hollein and Cesar Pelli, who designed the Petronas Towers, as well as artist Mary Fedden and tenor Joseph Calleja. The president of the International Academy of Architecture, Georgi Stoilov, also left his stamp on the album.