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James Gandon (1743 -1823) is today recognised as one of the leading late 18th century, early 19th century architects to have worked in Ireland. His better known works include The Custom House and the Four Courts both in Dublin.
Gandon born in 1743 in London, of French Huguenot descent. From 1749 he was educated at Shipley's Drawing Academy(this prestigious school founded by William Shipley later became the London Art School) here Gandon studied the classics, mathematics, arts and architecture. On leaving the drawing academy he was articled to study architecture under the tutelage of Sir William Chambers, Chambers was an advocate of the neoclassical evolution of Palladian architecture, although he later made designs in the Gothic Revival style. However it was Chambers's palladian and neoclassical concepts which most influenced the young Gandon.
In 1765, Gandon left William Chambers to begin practice on his own, his first commission was on Sir Samuel Hillier's Wolverhampton estate. Gandon's new practice while successful always remained small. Circa 1769 he entered an architectural competition to design the new Royal Exchange in Dublin. The plan chosen was by Thomas Cooley. However, Gandon's design was selected as second, hence, this competition brought him to the attention of the politicians planning to redesign Dublin. During the following years in England Gandon was responsible for the design of the County Hall in Nottingham . Between 1769 and 1771 he collaborated with J Woolfe on 2 additional volumes of Vitruvius Britannicus, a book of plans and drawings of Palladian revival buildings by such architects as Inigo Jones to Colen Campbell. During his English career he was awarded the Gold medal for architecture by the Royal Academy, London in 1768.
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James Gandon (1743-1823) - Brief biography from Archéire of the architect responsible for some of Dublin's most important buildings including the Custom House, the Four Courts, the additions to the Houses of Parliament and the Kings Inns.
Meta Description: [ James Gandon (1743-1823) was of French Huguenot descent and studied under William Chambers in England. His most important work in England was Nottingham County Hall of which only the façade survives. In 1781 he came to Dublin at the behest of Lord Carlow and John Beresford to supervise the constr... ]
