John Godwin and Gillian Hopwood explained

William John Gilbert Godwin OBE (17 June 1928 – 12 February 2023) and Gillian Hopwood (born 27 June 1927) were British architects, based in Nigeria.

Career

John Godwin was born in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire, England on 17 June 1928.^[1] Gillian Hopwood was born in Rochdale, England on 27 June 1927.^[2] They both studied architecture at the Architectural Association in London, both qualifying in 1950.^[3] John came to Nigeria with his wife, Gillian in 1954, residing in colonial Lagos, British Nigeria.^[4] They began their careers in architecture and were involved in designing many significant projects in the city. John also established an academic career as a Professor of Architecture at the University of Lagos.^[5] Although he collaborated with his wife on many projects, Gillian focused in historic preservation and architectural photography and documented several iconic buildings which existed in colonial Lagos (some of which have been demolished).^{[4] [6] [7]} They established their architectural firm named Godwin and Hopwood Architects in 1954. The firm’s name was later changed to Godwin Hopwood Kuye (GHK) Architects Limited in 1989. The couple became Nigerian citizens in 2013 after spending about 60 years living and practising as architects in Nigeria.^[8]

Godwin died on 12 February 2023, at the age of 94.^[1]

Projects

• Allen and Hanbury House, Lagos^{[9] [10]}
• WAEC building, Yaba, Lagos
• Bookshop House, Lagos
• Niger House, Lagos
• Nestle Nigeria Plc Water Plant, Lagos.
• Faculty of Sciences building, University of Lagos
• GlaxoSmith Headquarters building, Lagos.
• Boyle street residential building, Lagos.^{[11] [12]}
• Bishop Court Building, Ikeja, Lagos

Published works

• Book: Sand City: Lagos at 150 . Kachifo . 2012. 978-9785108460. William John Gilbert . Godwin. Gillian . Hopwood. 0.
• Book: A Photographers Odyssey: Lagos Island 1954-2014. 2015. Kachifo . William John Gilbert . Godwin. Gillian . Hopwood. 0.
• The Architecture of Demas Nwoko. Published by Farafina in 2007

See also

• List of Nigerian architects

Notes and References

1. News: John Godwin, architect whose practice designed more than 1,000 buildings in Nigeria – obituary . 3 May 2023 . The Telegraph . 3 May 2023.
2. Web site: Gillian Hopwood . Oxford Art Online . 3 May 2023.
3. News: A City of Motion. 27 January 2015. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke. ThisDay. 29 September 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151003083857/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/a-city-of-motion/137555. 3 October 2015.
4. News: GILLIAN HOPWOOD: CHRONICLES OF A CITY IN TRANSITION. ThisDay live. 22 March 2015. 29 September 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151003083415/http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/gillian-hopwood-chronicles-of-a-city-in-transition/204735/. 3 October 2015.
5. Book: The Fabric of Space: Water, Modernity, and the Urban Imagination. Matthew Gandy. 31 October 2014. MIT Press, 2014. 9780262028257.
6. News: Hopwood's Lens Zooms On Comparative Lagos Architecture. Tajudeen Sowole. 5 April 2015. The Guardian. Nigeria.
7. News: The Lagos I miss. The Nation. Ozolua Uhakheme. 29 September 2015.
8. News: Just before the sea takes over Lagos. The Nation. Victor Akande. 12 February 2013.
9. Book: Narrating Architecture: A Retrospective Anthology. James Madge. Andrew Peckham. Routledge. 2006. 9781134189663. 389.
10. Book: Great Architecture of the World. 271. John Julius Norwich. Da Capo . 1975. 9780306804366.
11. Book: Narrating Architecture: A Retrospective Anthology. James Madge. Andrew Peckham. Routledge. 2006. 9781134189663.
12. Book: The Architects' Journal. 217. Architectural Press Limited . 2003.