Pair’s design still force for good

Jun 4 2009 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

Tony Henderson on architects who loved and changed the region

THE architect Peter Yates once began a lecture with the quote that a city should be “for the convenience of its inhabitants and a surprise to its visitors”.

Well, the Tyneside architectural practice of Peter Yates and Gordon Ryder certainly sprang a few surprises over 30 years from the formation of the partnership in 1953.

Their modernist style produced projects such as the 1965 Norgas House, the first major building in Killingworth New Town in North Tyneside.

Two years later they followed up with the award-winning and now listed Engineering Research Station, also in Killingworth, which was later used as offices by North Tyneside Council.

Among Ryder and Yates buildings in Newcastle are MEA House, studios 1 and 5 at the former Tyne Tees TV in City Road, the nearby Salvation Army Men’s Palace overlooking the Tyne and the Vickers factory on Scotswood Road.

The importance of Ryder and Yates has now been recognised by a new book in a series on 20th Century architects by Riba Publishing, English Heritage and the Twentieth Century Society.

Not only is it the first book in the series, but Ryder and Yates is the only practice outside London to be featured.