Michael Fowler
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Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Sir Edward Michael Coulson Fowler (born 19 December 1929) is a New Zealand architect and author who served as Mayor of Wellington from 1974 to 1983.
Contents
Early life and family
Fowler was born in 1929 in Marton,[1] the son of William Coulson Fowler and Faith Agnes Netherclift. He was educated at Manchester Street School in Feilding[1] and Christ's College in Christchurch, and completed a Master of Architecture at The University of Auckland.[2]
In 1953 he married Barbara Hamilton Hall (died 2009).
Architectural career
Fowler started his career in 1954 at the London office of Ove Arup and Partner. In 1957 he returned to New Zealand where he worked in his own practice: Calder, Fowler, Styles and Turner in Wellington. In the early 1960s, Fowler designed Wellington's Overseas Passenger Terminal, which was to have served international passenger ships, but never saw its intended use due to the rising popularity of air travel.[1][3] In an interview many years later, he said that he "was party to the design of the biggest white elephant that Wellington ever built."[2]
He is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Architects.
Council and mayoralty
Fowler was first elected to the Wellington City Council in 1968, and was elected mayor in 1974, a post that he held until 1983.[2][3]
His 1977 re-election campaign was against Carmen, who ran with the support of local businessman Sir Bob Jones, with the slogans "Get in behind" and "Carmen for Mayor" and a platform of gay marriage and legalised brothels (although neither of these are local-government matters in New Zealand).[4]
Fowler was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 1981 Queen's Birthday Honours.[5]
Wellington's principal concert performance hall, the Michael Fowler Centre, opened in 1983, was named in his honour.[6]
Criticism
Fowler was criticised for his comments in May 2011 where he backed a controversial Wellywood sign in a handwritten letter to The Dominion Post, describing its critics as "dumb, humourless, totally irrelevant and probably Irish". When later questioned, he was unapologetic stating that his comment "wasn't meant to be derogatory." Irish residents in New Zealand expressed outrage at the comments.[7]
External Links
- Michael Fowler, front left, in 1977 (photo)
- Michael Fowler, left, in 1979 (photo)
- Cartoon of Frank Kitts & Michael Fowler in 1974
- Sir Michael's personal website[dead link]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ London Gazette (supplement), No. 48641, 13 June 1981. Retrieved 24 May 2013.
- ↑ Michael Fowler Centre history. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Mayor of Wellington 1974–1983 |
Succeeded by Ian Lawrence |
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- Living people
- People educated at Christ's College, Canterbury
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