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Casson, Sir Hugh (Maxwell)
(b London, 23 May 1910; d London, 15 Aug 1999). English architect and designer. He was educated at Eastbourne College, St Johns College, Cambridge, and the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College, London. In 1933 he was Craven Scholar at the British School at Athens. As assistant and later partner to Christopher Nicholson (190448) he was involved in the Modern Movement but also worked on the Surrealist transformation of Monkton House (19368), West Dean Park, Chichester, W. Sussex (originally designed by Lutyens), for the collector and patron Edward James. Casson served as a Camouflage Officer (194044) in the Air Ministry and as Technical Officer in the Ministry of Town and Country Planning (19446). In 1946 he established a partnership with Neville Conder (b 1922), who had been educated at Charterhouse School, Surrey, and the Architectural Association School, London. In 1948 Casson was appointed Director of Architecture for the Festival of Britain, coordinating the brilliant display of modern architecture for the arts complex on the South Bank, London (opened May 1951), with attention to vistas, landscape and colour. He was knighted in 1952 in recognition of this achievement.
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