Anthony James Hunt[1] (22 June 1932 – 16 August 2022), familiarly known as Tony Hunt, was a British structural engineer of numerous world-renowned buildings, with a career spanning from the 1950s until his retirement in 2002. As a leading proponent of British High Tech architecture and with a strong interest in both engineering and industrial design, Hunt was a major player in creating the High Tech movement of Norman Foster and Richard Rogers. He formed Anthony Hunt Associates in 1962. He worked with Rogers and Foster on Reliance Controls building in Swindon (1966) which was the first building of the British High Tech architecture, or more generally the High Tech architecture style.[2] He was also a structural engineer on the Waterloo International railway station in London (1993).

Anthony Hunt
Born(1932-06-22)June 22, 1932
Streatham Hill, London, England
Died (aged 90)
EducationSalesian College
Northampton Polytechnic
Westminster Technical College
OccupationEngineer
Spouses
  • Patricia Daniels (divorced)
  • Diana Collett (divorced)
  • Helene Moore
Children2
Engineering career
DisciplineStructural engineer
InstitutionsInstitution of Structural Engineers
Practice nameAnthony Hunt Associates
Projects(Willis Faber Dumas HQ) (Sainsbury Centre) (Waterloo International) (Eden project)

Early life

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Hunt was the eldest child of a solicitor's clerk in Streatham Hill in London. He moved away from London with his mother and brother in order to avoid the Blitz, and finally settled in Farnborough, Hampshire. After leaving Salesian College at 16 he attended Northampton Polytechnic 1947 - 1948, but didn't complete the course. He then attended Westminster Technical College in London and studied civil engineering on a day release course. He first worked for Wheeler & Jupp, a small civil engineering firm in London, and later obtained a professional qualification in structural engineering.

Career

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Hunt was impressed by the Festival of Britain's Skylon, engineered by Frank Newby and Felix Samuely of FJ Samuely & Partners, two of the most influential engineers at the time. This inspired him to seek employment with the firm, which he achieved. It was with FJ Samuely & Partners that Hunt really developed his passion for structural engineering, working on projects such as Eero Saarinen's American Embassy in London.

Following a spell working for Terence Conran and for Hancock Associates, Hunt founded Anthony Hunt Associates in 1962. He worked extensively with a new generation of British Architects, including Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, Michael Hopkins and Nicholas Grimshaw and played a large role in developing the lightweight, component-based style known as British high tech architecture. Throughout his career, Hunt maintained a keen interest in the wider aspects of industrial design.

In 1994 he received the Gold Medal from the Institution of Structural Engineers.

Personal life and death

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Hunt died at home in Gloucestershire on 16 August 2022, at the age of 90.[3]

Selected projects

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References

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  1. ^ "Hunt, Anthony James". Who's Who 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  2. ^ Davies, Colin (1988). High Tech Architecture. Thames and Hudson. ISBN 0-500-27534-3.
  3. ^ "HUNT, Professor Anthony James (Tony)". The Times. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  4. ^ Dale, Nigel (2012). Connexions: The Unseen Hand of Tony Hunt. Dunbeath, Scotland: Whittles Publishing Ltd. pp. 40–41. ISBN 978-1-84995-030-5.
  5. ^ "Background to Portcullis House". UK Parliament. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  6. ^ Dale, Nigel (2021). New Ways: The Founding of Modernism. Dunbeath, Scotland: Whittles Publishing Ltd. pp. 173–174. ISBN 978-184995-150-0.
  7. ^ "Fluy House". Ritchie Studio. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  8. ^ Pavitt ,Jane, Thomas, Abraham (2018). Superstructures The New Architecture 1960-1990. Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts. ISBN 978-0946-009732.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Crook, Lizzie (22 November 2019). "Inmos Microprocessor Factory is Richard Rogers' high-tech factory prototype". Dezeen. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Design for Inmos Microprocessor Factory, Newport, Gwent, Wales: section perspective, 1980". Royal Academy of Arts. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Waterloo International Terminal". engineering-timelines.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  12. ^ "Hauer-King House". Modernism in Metroland. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  13. ^ "Hauer-King House". ArchInForm. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Floating Bridge". engineering-timelines.com. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  15. ^ "OUR PROJECTS / John Smith's Stadium". Populous. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  16. ^ "Dyson Headquarters Malmesbury, UK". Wilkinson Eyre. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  17. ^ Powell, Kenneth (26 July 2001). "Mount Stuart visitor centre by Munkenbeck + Marshall". Architects' Journal AJ. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

Further reading

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  • Macdonald, Abgus (2000). The Engineer's Contribution to Contemporary Architecture Anthony Hunt (First ed.). Thomas Telford Publishing. ISBN 072772769-9.
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