Norman Engleback, Brutalist Architect of London's Southbank Centre, Dies at 88

Norman Engleback, a key architect behind London's Southbank Centre, passed away on 4 December 2015 at age 88. His career began in 1943 with the London and North Eastern Railway, where he worked on reconstructing war-damaged railway infrastructure while pursuing architectural studies through night classes. In 1952, he joined the London County Council architects' department and was rapidly advanced by Leslie Martin, who assigned him the National Sports Centre project at Crystal Palace. Engleback later led the design for the brutalist Festival Wing complex at the Southbank Centre, which encompasses the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, and Hayward Gallery. Born in London, he maintained a lifelong dedication to drawing throughout his professional journey.