Angus Kerr FRIAS
It is with great sadness that we reflect on the death of our former Architect Director, Angus Kerr. Angus worked tirelessly from our Glasgow studio in a time regarded in Scotland as architecture’s heyday - when anything seemed possible, when his home city was ‘Smiles Better’ and when BDP was designing ambitious projects, many of which Angus helped shape.
Angus Kerr
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Born in Motherwell to Anne, a nurse, and David, a railway signalman, Angus attended Wishaw High School. He studied architecture part time at Glasgow School of Art while also working for Wishaw practice William Nimmo and Partners before completing his Diploma at the University of Strathclyde. Moving to the Irvine Development Corporation, Angus’s projects included the Magnum Centre, delivered as part of the IDC’s ambitious modernist vison for the new town.
He worked at BDP for more than thirty years, seeing the Glasgow Studio grow from a staff of nine to ninety, and to play a major role in Scotland’s architectural life. He was responsible for many of the practice’s major and award-winning projects in Scotland, including the Atlantic Quay development on Glasgow's Broomielaw (winning a Regeneration of Scotland Design Commendation, 1991 and Scottish Civic Trust Award, 1992); Splash Leisure Pool, Dunbar (winner of an RIBA Award, 1993); Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum’s New Century Project (winning the Architecture Scotland Award for Scotland’s Favourite Building: Public Vote in 2006 and shortlisted for the prestigious Gulbenkian Prize); Perth Concert Hall (finalist for the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland’s Andrew Doolan Award for Architecture, 2006); the Shetland Museum and Archives (Winner of the Glasgow Institute of Architects Award, 2007; Wood Award 2008 and shortlisted for the Arts Fund Prize (formerly the Gulbenkian award) 2008); The Princess Louise Scottish Hospital, a veterans hospital in Erskine, and; The Big Idea in Irvine. For 20 years, Angus acted as house Architect to Glasgow's Citizens Theatre.
In the studio, Angus had a reputation as the champion of high-quality architecture and wasn’t afraid to argue the case for design quality when construction costs and fees came under pressure. One client remembers Angus by saying “his appearance and manner, his pugnacity and charm doesn’t fade in the memory at all, while other architects I can hardly remember.” Angus retired from BDP in 2008 with a party in the café of Kelvingrove Art Galleries and Museum, a project he always remembered with much pride.
Angus’s time with the Glasgow Institute of Architects (GIA) started with the Education Committee, before taking over as Convenor of the GIA’s 1999 Committee and then, in 2000, as the Institute’s President. In his acceptance speech he talked about the importance of connecting with people, about his passion for architecture, the welfare of architects and how humbled he was by the honour.
Angus sat on the RIBA Council from 2005 to 2009 and was Library Committee member, with responsibility for the care of the RIBA library and archive. Project commitments ultimately prevented him standing as President of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. He devoted time instead to the Scottish Civic Trust, where as a Trustee was responsible for founding the My Place Awards, an annual celebration of the difference communities can make to their local places.
He was a visiting tutor at Glasgow School of Art. Graduates of that era remember the measure of the quality of their thesis submission was if they found Angus Kerr’s business card pinned to their degree show display.
Angus has been a judge for the RIAS, RIBA, Glasgow Institute of Architects, Edinburgh Architects Association, Scottish Civic Trust and many other awards. He had a reputation for getting lost en-route to shortlisted projects but once there, for always being kind and engaging with clients. A fellow judge remembers he was especially good at communicating with lay clients of modest buildings; assuring them that their efforts were worthwhile.
With his wife, Jean, Angus established the Scottish Architectural Educational Trust, a charity whose mission was to have Architecture embedded in Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence. The charity was wound up when the Scottish Government did just that. He was a longtime supporter of the Architects Benevolent Society and served as a trustee for more than a decade. To his great surprise and delight, in 2023, Angus was honoured with a RIAS Lifetime Achievement Award for his services to architecture.
While at IDC, Angus had moved to West Kilbride. He bought the shell of an old weavers’ cottage from the National Trust for Scotland, refurbished it, making it his family home. A later move provided views of the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Arran.
Angus was very active in his community. On retirement from practice, he acted as designer and then client for the award-winning Barony Centre, remodeling a former church to create the focus and education centre for West Kilbride’s Craft Town Scotland. He sat on the committee of West Kilbride Music Club. He was a fine chorister, singing and travelling with the Cappella Nova choir. Angus was an accomplished artist, a gifted writer, and enthusiastic golfer. He travelled frequently; he and his wife, Jean were particularly fond of Japan, its culture and people.
For their closest friends, the humour of Angus and Jean’s home-crafted Christmas cards were a December highlight. The final card they sent together, following Angus’s terminal cancer diagnosis, was a play on Wham’s “Last Christmas”. Angus defied the medical prognosis to live three and a half years; it was typical for Angus not to do as expected. His diagnosis did not diminish his hearty laugh or need for fun. When once asked what qualities he most admired in others, Angus replied “A great sense of humour and unwavering integrity.” For those that knew him best, these are the very qualities for which Angus will be remembered.
Angus was immensely proud of his children and grandchildren. He will be survived by wife Jean, daughter Alison, son Stuart and grandchildren Phoebe, Ollie and Una.
“Angus is the reason I work at BDP today: both due to the quality of the work that the practice produced, and the immediate friendship we formed. Living close to Angus in West Kilbride, we always looked forward to time spent with Angus and Jean in their fantastic home, including a wee sit in the Eames lounge chair he won in a raffle at the launch of a Merchant City design shop. Angus was a generous host; I usually stumbled from his house, merry, with an architectural book in hand. The cherry tree Angus once gave me is thriving in my garden. It will be a constant reminder of his values and our friendship.”