Drawings by John Powell, Architecture Student

Four drawings produced by architecture student John Powell while studying at the Leicester School of Architecture, part of the Leicester College of Arts and Crafts.

"Design for a Public House" was prepared in Powell's third year. It shows plans of the ground floor of a pub and a three bedroom flat situated above the pub. The plans include a public bar, lounge, tea room, darts room, office and staff areas, storage and gardens. Dated 22 April 1948.

"Shops and Offices: scheme for Leicester" shows a 6-storey office block with shops along the ground floor. Elevations and a cross section are shown. Dated 1948.

"A Planetarium Unit at Astley 2 and 3" were prepared for Powell's thesis in 1950. One drawing shows a plan of the planetarium complex including the auditorium and entrance hall, museum and library, offices, laboratories and lecture rooms. The other drawing shows elevations and sections of the same building.

Hans Jochen Pagel was born in Germany on 11 January 1920 to a Christian father and Jewish mother. In 1936 he and his brother were sent to England for their safety, joined by their mother in 1939. On the outbreak of the Second World War Hans was interned on the Isle of Man before joining the British Army and Anglicising his name to John Powell.

After the war John gained his RIBA Intermediate certificate from the Regent Street Polytechnic in London before moving to the Leicester School of Architecture to complete his RIBA Diploma in 1950. He went on to study planning at Birmingham College of Art from 1960-1963. The move to Leicester was motivated by his marriage in 1945 to Jennie Copeland who was from Hinckley. The couple had two daughters in 1947 and 1950.

The family lived in various locations while John worked in planning, before settling in Harrow where he was Deputy Town Planner for the Department of Planning and Research, London Borough of Brent. He retired in 1980 and took up cycling and marathon running as well as completing an Open University degree. He died in December 1995.

With thanks to John Powell's daughter for the biographical information.

Available for general access. It is advised to make an appointment with the Archivist as the drawings are large and space to view them will be required.

Gifted to the Archive by John Powell's daughter in 2015.

Catalogued by Katharine Short, Archivist, January 2016.

Photographs may be taken for private research purposes only.