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Muriel Lamb

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Muriel Emily Lamb, A.R.I.B.A, A.N.Z.I.A.
Born	Muriel Emily Sanders 20 February 1911
Died	29 August 2010 Waimarie Private Hospital, Remuera, Auckland
Alma mater	University of Auckland
Occupation	Architect
Spouse	James (Jim) Alexander Lamb
Practice	Private
Projects	Lamb House, Remuera, Auckland The Griffith's House, St. Heliers Morrow House, Glendowie Heights Own Office, Parnell

Muriel Emily Lamb (nee Sanders) A.R.I.B.A, A.N.Z.I.A. (born 20 February 1911) is one of the first female architects to start their own architectural practices in New Zealand; Lucy Greenish was the first registered woman architect in 1913 and setting up her practice in 1927. Before she started her career, she undertook architecture study at Auckland University College and later in London where she was registered for R.I.B.A. Upon returning to Auckland in 1949, she signed a deal with the New Zealand Head of Shell Oil Company to design their gas stations layout across the country and worked locally for Lou Piper's practice. After having enough savings, she started to work independently and set up her own practice on Lower Symonds Street in 1953. During her architecture career, she had been focusing on designing high-end residential projects in affluent Auckland's neighbourhoods. She was also a modernism practitioner, this is shown by her houses design which includes modernist elements such as low pitch roof and large expansive glass windows. Later, she closed down her practice in 1979, and had been running her farm in Paremoremo. She died in her 100th year on 29 August 2010.

Early life

Muriel Emily Sanders was born on 20 February 1911 and daughter to George and Ada Sanders. She came from an affluent family; her father worked as an accountant for the prominent law firm Jackson & Russell. He also bought 1000 acres farmland in Paremoremo and later inherited it to Muriel. She started her early education at Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland and Whitford House in Hawkes Bay respectively. During her studies, she was exposed to prominently creative education. After graduating, she had the ambition to be an architect but she had to give up due to her mother's illness. So, she decided to find a husband and be a housewife.

Muriel Sanders married James (Jim) Alexander Lamb in 1930 and since then changed her name to Muriel Emily Lamb. Jim Lamb also came from an affluent family, he ran his family timber business, Parker Lamb Timber Company in Onehunga and later it moved to Customs Street West alongside Kauri Timber Building. In 1931, Jim and Muriel Lamb purchased a property at 37 Gladstone Road in Parnell and they had been saving for eight years before they could build a house on the property in 1939. Jim's timber company supplied all the kauri timbers for their house construction. They selected Daniel B. Patterson, one of the most prominent architect at that time to design the house. During the design process, Muriel Lamb was very much involved in it and possibly it was one of the influence that made her want to go back to study and pursue a career in architecture.

Architecture Study

With her husband's blessing, Muriel started her study for a Diploma in Architecture at Auckland University College. Before enrolling to the programme, she had to complete a math course at Fagans Coaching College and drawing course at Elam School of Art as a preparation to enter the School of Architecture. She was enrolled as an older student (age 31) in 1942, there were only three women in her first year (including her): Hellen Wordell and Rene McClarin. Later, joining Muriel in School of Architecture were Lillian Chrystall (1944) and Marilyn Reynolds (1945). During her third year of study, Vernon Brown was running the studio classes and he clashed with Muriel after accusing him of unfairly giving her a fail mark but passed other boys in her class; she said, "You have failed me and I have got marks higher than eight boys", "You either fail us all or you pass us all." Eventually Brown passed her, but he said “I’ll get you next year”, Muriel replied “No, I won’t come next year”; in 1946/1947 she took a year off from her study. Her break from University aligned with the year she designed the Lamb House on Arney Road, Remuera. The following year, she failed Irwin Crooks' class in Steel and Concrete and frustrated having to deal with failing again, she flew to London and complete her study there instead. In 1949, she was registered for R.I.B.A. and awarded the architecture diploma from Auckland University College in 1952.

Architecture Career

While Muriel was in London, she met the New Zealand Head of Shell Company who asked her to design the gas stations layout across the country. She signed the deal and did a research and fact finding trip to the USA before going back to Auckland in 1949. She worked for the Shell Company until 1957. After arriving in New Zealand, Muriel worked locally for Lou Piper's practice. During her time there, she designed The Lucas’ in Newmarket and Powerboard Building. In 1953, after having enough savings from working for Shell Oil and Lou Piper, Muriel started to work independently and set up her own practice on Lower Symonds Street. One of the first projects that she designed is The Griffith's House in Tarawera Terrace, St Heliers. The house stood next to Vernon Brown’s ‘Hamblin House' overlooking Rangitoto.

She also designed The Morrow House (1958) in Glendowie Heights, which gained a publication in the Home and Building Magazine. In the same year, Terry Boon, an architecture student worked as a part-timer in Muriel's practice and continued to work there after graduating for five years. They developed a good friendship. Muriel's practice had been focusing on high-end residential in affluent Auckland's neighbourhoods, she also was client-oriented, "I thought the good things are circulation and good construction, sun, light, and plenty of air. But when the client went along with a definite idea, I always incorporated it if it was right, because that made them happy." In 1960, Muriel bought two sections of land in Parnell for her new office. Terry Boon was involved in the design process until the project was finished in 1963. Her Parnell office was also published in the Home and Building Magazine.

Most of Muriel's work were in modernist style, with flat roofs, expanses of glass and open-plan rooms. Modernism architecture was popular in her active years of practice (1953-1973), the influence came from the émigrés from Europe who settled in New Zealand included Henry Kulka, Fred Newman and Ernst Plischke. Plischke was the best-known of these.

1973 was Muriel's last peak period of design, since then she had been focusing on her town milk supply farm in Paremoremo. Later in 1975, Muriel's husband, Jim, passed at the age of 69. He had ostia-arthritis of the spine and it travelled right up the back and affected his brain. Following this event, Muriel closed down her practice in 1979. She had gotten rid of most of the practice’s drawings; there are no documentation of her works, except there were three of her projects that had been featured in Home & Building journal.

Publications

There were only three publications of Muriel Lamb's work :

The Griffith's House in Tarawera Terrace, St Heliers (1953)

Published in Home & Building Vol 15 No 11 - Page 34-35, April 1953

The Griffith's House (1953)

The Morrow House in Glendowie Heights (1958)

Published in Home & Building Vol 21 No 7 - Page 29-32, December 1958

The Morrow House (1958)

The Morrow House (1958)

Parnell Office at 300 Parnell Road (1963)

Published in Home & Building Vol 26 No 5 - Page 60-61, October 1963

Parnell Office (1963)

Working Mother/Wife

Jim and Muriel Lamb adopted their first child in 1955, a son named John and later, a daughter named Georgina. Even though Muriel was busy working as an architect and travelling, she tried to balance work and family time, "... you can cope. But I don't think you need to neglect your children." She often brought her children while she was working out of town. She also admitted that she had reliable help from a nurse and a housekeeper to look after her children while she was working.

It was uncommon for a wife to be working in the 1950s, the social ideal was the Nuclear Family of a father employed in the workforce, house proud mother engaged in home duties, caring for her husband and two or more children in a 'modern' home.

Constructive Agenda Exhibition

In 1993, an exhibition was held in Auckland and Wellington to celebrate the centenary of NZ’s Suffrage Movement also to celebrate 60 years since Merle Greenwood, the first female architecture student graduated. Muriel was invited to the Constructive Agenda Exhibitions and she had the honor to declare the opening of the exhibition. This event also prompted the interview "Modernity in Suburbia - an interview with Muriel Lamb" for Transgression by Amanda Evans & Fiona Tomlinson.

List of designs

• The Lamb House (1947)
• The Griffith's House (1953)
• The Morrow House (1958)
• Parnell Office (1963)
• House in Ratehi
• House in Farrels
• House in Oneroa
• House in Stewarts
• House on the corner of Victoria Avenue
• Flats in Long Drive
• Eric Horsefeed's House, the Associate Minister of Finance
• Frank Greeves house, Pakuranga