My father, John Parker, who has died aged 91, was inspired by his art teacher at South EastLondonTechnical College (SELTEC, now Lewisham College) to become an architect, and had a career spanning 65 years.
In public service, he worked with the London county council (LCC) from 1962 to 1965, developing the concept of two-storey schools with roof gardens for children with special educational needs. And at the London borough of Lambeth (1965-70), he led designs for Brixton town centre.
John was born in Sydenham, south-east London, to Elsie (nee Curtis), a cook, and Richard Parker, who worked for the Metropolitan Water Board. His was a story of social mobility, which took him from relative poverty to a planning career within local government in London. He was evacuated to Devon and Yorkshire during the second world war, and went to SELTEC on his return to the capital.
After national service, during which he had a land surveying roles in England, Egypt and Cyprus, he attended evening classes at the Regent Street Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster). He went on to a full-time architecture course supported by a mature student award from the LCC, finishing his studies in 1962. He was given a Winston Churchill travelling fellowship, which took him toNew Yorkand Chicago in 1968, which sowed the seeds for a PhD on development near London railway termini.
John was the central London planning architect at the Greater London council (GLC) from 1970 to 1986. Notable projects included the transformation of Piccadilly Circus, Carnaby Street and Charing Cross; opening up the Regent’s Canal with the Canal Way parks project; the Tower of London precinct with nearby St Katharine Docks; and the Thames Jubilee Walkway.
Based on his PhD, he developed the concept of air-space development at transport interchanges, which is still pursued across London and other cities. He gave evidence for the GLC during public inquiries for tall buildings including the “Green Giant”, a skyscraper at Vauxhall that was never built, and Coin Street Neighbourhood centre.
Following the abolition of the GLC in 1986, John created a business employing former GLC staff. A notable achievement was a tall buildings study for London, with recommendations for the protection of outstanding views. At his memorial, a colleague stated: “He was a wonderful team manager, kind and considerate, inspirational with great flair.”
John met my mother,Valerie(nee Duguid), at a badminton club in Lee Green, south-east London; they married in 1959 and moved to Beckenham in 1965. In later years, he was an active member of the local civic society, sang in the care-home choir, practised reiki and the Alexander technique, and read the Guardian.
Valerie died in 2009; John is survived by his children, Joanna and me, three grandchildren, Eve, Jude and Celia, and two sisters, Mary and Colleen.