News

Arise, Sir Donald!


The Knighthood for Donald Insall announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours on Saturday, 12 June 2010 recognises the defining influence Donald has had on the development of historic buildings’ conservation for over 50 years – through the work of our Practice, which he founded in 1958, and in a number of important public and advisory appointments, including as a founder Commissioner of English Heritage after 1983.

His early career was informed by his experience as a Lethaby Scholar of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings in 1950; and the philosophy, principles and practice of conserving historic buildings and towns as they have developed since is the subject of his recent book, Living Buildings, published in 2008.

Donald continues to inspire and work for the Practice, as well as lecturing and acting in an advisory role to ICOMOS (the International Council on Monuments and Sites), the World Monuments Fund, and Canterbury and Southwark Cathedrals.

Donald Insall, pictured recently with Baroness Andrews,
Chair of English Heritage, whose copy of Living Buildings
he has just signed