User:Clockhouse

Tom Hancock (1936-2006) British architect--Clockhouse (talk) 20:15, 20 March 2010 (UTC)

Tom Hancock was a prominent architect and planner, he worked on the masterplan for Greater Peterborough under the New Towns Act, working in partnership with Sir Peter Hall, and developing a strong consultancy operation. After the then Ministry of Housing and Local Government proposed major expansion of Peterborough in 1966, Tom Hancock was appointed to propose an area for designation. In a report published in 1966, he considered four alternative 'hypotheses' and selected one which essentially expanded the historic city to the north-east and north-west, plus major linear projections to the west, as far as the A1, on both sides of a new linear park along the banks of the River Nene. This became the basis for designation as a new town.

Tom's subsequent masterplan proposed the creation of a cluster of four balanced communities or 'townships', designed to incorporate a mix of uses, three with a population of between 20,000 and 30,000 and one with 10,000-20,000, enabling each to have, in addition to local centres containing some shops and related to primary schools, a district or township centre containing shopping and service facilities including secondary schools, health and other community facilities and commercial and professional services. The New Town Development Corporation developed his ideas and implemented the plan, although the western wing was truncated.

Tom masterplanned the pioneer new community at Shenley Hospital in the Metropolitan Green Belt with Nicholas Falk. He designed and created the world's first 'Peace Pagoda' in Milton Keynes and the second one at Battersea Park in London. He designed the Amaravati temple in Hemel Hempstead and a 12million pound Hindu Temple, which he designed for the Hindu Welfare Association. All while running a successful consultancy designing award-winning housing schemes in various towns, including Letchworth Garden City. He designed the Overseas work also took him to Japan, Tel Aviv, New York and India.

In the 1970's Tom lived in Baroda, India. There he lectured in architecture and Urban development planning. He was part of a set of young artists and architects and was good friends with Bhupen Khakar, Gulam Mohammed Sheik, Manu Parekh and noted Indian architect Surykant Patel. Tom continued to lecture in Baroda, Mumbai, Delhi and Ahmedabad regularly until his death in Jan 2006.

Tom was a founder of the charity Shelter, he was an active member of the TCPA and for many years as a member of its Policy Council, he worked for the anti-nuclear movement and Greenpeace, and advised Dartington Hall in Devon on its rural development strategy and worked as an advisor for the Eden Project. He was a patron of RIBA and RAA.

Before his death in 2006 Tom designed plans for Delapre Abbey and the Lifespace project. The plans proposed for the abbey have been restored and to go into full public ownership, a tourist attraction, the multi-million pound ecological venture, which won immense public support, was a miniature version of the Eden project in Cornwall, including glass conservation pyramids. The plans for this were rejected by Northampton Council.

A Buddhist and a visionary thinker Tom Hancock died on Jan 22nd 2006 from an inoperable brain tumour, he is succeeded by 5 children.