Frank Murphy (1916–1993) was an Irish architect. Born in

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

, he was active mainly in the 1950s and 1960s, and his works include a number of modernist structures. In a 2018 editorial in the ''

Irish Examiner The ''Irish Examiner'', formerly ''The Cork Examiner'' and then ''The Examiner'', is an Republic of Ireland, Irish national daily newspaper which primarily circulates in the Munster region surrounding its base in Cork (city), Cork, though it is ...

'', Murphy was described as "arguably Cork's most eminent and exciting modern architect", and as "Cork's unsung hero of Modernism".

Life and career

Murphy was born in

, Ireland in 1916. He graduated from

University College Dublin University College Dublin (), commonly referred to as UCD, is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a collegiate university, member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest ...

's School of Architecture in 1939, and the following year established an architectural practice in Cork city. Murphy was influenced by both Scandinavian and American architecture, and his work featured complex surfaces as well as curtain wall facades. While the former is particularly present in his storefront designs, the latter

international style The International Style is a major architectural style and movement that began in western Europe in the 1920s and dominated modern architecture until the 1970s. It is defined by strict adherence to Functionalism (architecture), functional and Fo ...

is reflected in projects such as Thompson's Bakery and the Cork Distillers Company Bottling plant. Murphy's work include churches, factories, offices, housing and shopfronts, some of which employ varied and sometimes "eccentric" material palettes. In 1956, Murphy designed West Cork's first modernist building, ''All saints Church'' in

Drimoleague Drimoleague (historically ''Drumdalege'', ) is a village on the R586 road at its junction with the R593 in County Cork, Ireland. It lies roughly halfway between the towns of Dunmanway and Bantry, within the civil parish of Dromdaleague. As of ...

, and Cork city's first purpose-built office building 'Sutton House' in 1966. In 1968, Murphy was alarmed at the destruction and demolition of Cork City's built heritage and set up the Cork Preservation Society. In 1975, during the European Architectural Heritage Year, he was awarded the European Award for Architecture, the

Europa Nostra Europa Nostra (Latin for "Our Europe") is a pan-European Federation for cultural heritage, Cultural Heritage, representing citizens' organisations that work on safeguarding Europe's cultural and natural heritage. It is the voice of this movement ...

Medal, by the

Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) () founded in 1839, is the "competent authority for architects and professional body for Architecture in Ireland." The RIAI's purpose is "to uphold the highest standards in architecture a ...

for his restoration of

Skiddy's Almshouse Skiddy's Almshouse is the oldest inhabited building in the city of Cork. It was built in 1718 and finished in 1719. It was the second almshouse built using a bequest from Stephen Skiddy for the city's poor, either Catholic or Church of Ireland ...

Works

* Jenning's Soda Water Factory, Cork City (1949) * Belmont Hospital, Ferrybank, Waterford (1950) * Ballyphehane Convent, Cork City (1955) * Drimoleague Church, West Cork (1956) * Mayne's Pharmacy, Pembroke Street, Cork City (1960) * Cork Distiller's Bottling Plant, Cork City (1964) * Sutton House, Cork City (1965) * Dale House, Leytenstone, London (1965) * Thompson's Bakery, MacCurtain Street, Cork City (1966) * Skiddy's Almshouse Restoration, Shandon Cork City (1975)

Publications

*''Cork's Modern Architect: The Work of Frank Murphy'' (2019) by Conor English, published by the heritage council of Ireland and Cork City Council.

References

External links

Archiseek.com entry - with descriptions of his buildings
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy, Frank 1916 births 1993 deaths Architects from Cork (city) Alumni of University College Dublin 20th-century Irish architects