Lasdun, Sir Denys (1914-2001), a British architect, achieved prominence for a wide range of urban buildings, including housing projects, blocks of apartments, shops, and university buildings. He designed the Royal College of Physicians (1960) in London; the University of East Anglia (1968-1972); the Royal National Theatre (1967-1976), part of London’s South Bank development; the European Investment Bank (1979) in Luxembourg; the Hurva Synagogue (1978-1981) in Jerusalem, Israel; and the Genoa Opera house in Italy (1982).
Lasdun belonged to the school of architecture known as Modernism. At the outset of his career, he was greatly influenced by the Swiss architect Le Corbusier (see Le Corbusier ). Many of Lasdun’s best-known buildings, such as the Royal National Theatre, are made of concrete. Lasdun’s designs emphasize platforms, terraces, and walkways to create an effect of horizontal planes, broken by vertical towers.
Denys Louis Lasdun was born on Sept. 18, 1914, in London. He was educated at Rugby School and at the Architectural Association. During World War II (1939-1945), he served with the Royal Engineers. Lasdun set up his own architectural practice in 1960. In 1962 and 1963, he held the position of professor of architecture at the University of Leeds. He was knighted in 1976. He died on Jan. 11, 2001.
