ABK Architects (previously Ahrends, Burton and Koralek) is an architectural practice.[1][2][3]
History
It was founded in 1961 by Peter Ahrends (born 1933, Berlin, Germany, died in 2026),[4] Richard Burton (born 1933 in London, United Kingdom, died 2017),[5] and Paul Koralek (born 1933 in Vienna, Austria, died London 2020) after they won first prize in a competition to produce a design for the Berkeley Library at Trinity College Dublin in 1960. ABK was initially established in London in 1961 but has had a base in Dublin since 1996.[6]
In 1982, ABK produced a prize-winning project for the Hampton Extension to the National Gallery, in London. However, it was described by Charles, Prince of Wales as a “monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend”.[7] The design was not used for the eventual Sainsbury Wing extension that was later built in 1991.
Burton left the partnership in 2002 due to illness,[5] and Ahrends and Koralek retired in 2009. The London office of ABK closed in 2012, but its Dublin office continued to operate as a separate company.[8]
National Life Stories conducted an oral history interview (C467/119) with Peter Ahrends in 2014 for its Architects Lives’ collection held by the British Library.[9] NLS further conducted an oral history interview (C467/117) with Richard Burton in 2014–15 for its Architects Lives’ collection held by the British Library.[10]
Architecture
Buildings designed by ABK include:
- Berkeley Library, Trinity College Dublin (1961–67)
- St Andrew’s College, Booterstown, Dublin (1968–72)
- Arts Faculty building, Trinity College, Dublin (1968–79)
- Redcar Library (1971; demolished 2011)
- Additions to Keble College, Oxford on Blackhall Road (1972–80)
- Templeton College, Oxford (1969–96)
- Portsmouth Polytechnic Library (1975–80)
- John Lewis department store, Kingston-upon-Thames, (1979–90)
- Sainsbury’s supermarket, Canterbury, Kent (1982–84)[11]
- Hooke Park College, Dorset (1983–90)
- Dover Heritage Centre, Kent (1988–91)
- Whitworth Art Gallery development plan and sculpture court, Manchester (1991–95)
- Docklands Light Railway Beckton Extension and Poplar Bridge, London (1987–93)
- Techniquest Science Discovery Centre, Cardiff (1992–95)
- Selly Oak Colleges Learning Resource Centre, Birmingham (1995–97)
- W. H. Smith headquarters extension, Swindon, Wiltshire (1994–96)
- Waterford Visitor Centre, Ireland (1997–98)
- Dublin Dental Hospital (1995–98)
- Loughborough University Business School and Economics building, Leicestershire (1995–98)
- British Embassy, Moscow, Russia (1993–2000)
- Institute of Technology, Tralee, County Kerry (1996–2001)
- Blanchardstown Institute of Technology, Dublin (1998–2002)
- Áras an Chontae, Tullamore, County Offaly (1999–2002)
- Arts building extension, Trinity College, Dublin (2000–02)
- Áras an Chontae, Roscommon, County Roscommon (2015)
See also
Further reading
- Ken Powell. 20th Century Architects – Ahrends, Burton and Koralek. RIBA, 2012.[12]
References
- ^ Ahrends Burton Koralek: English Architects, e-architect.
- ^ ABK Architects at archINFORM
- ^ E. Harwood, P. Finch, F. McDonald, J. Melvin, and Kenneth Powell (editors), Collaborations: The Architecture of ABK — Ahrends, Burton and Koralek. Birkhauser, 2002. ISBN 978-3-7643-6644-5.
- ^ “Peter Ahrends, co-founder of ABK, the architects behind the ‘carbuncle’ National Gallery design”. The Telegraph. 16 June 2026.
- ^ a b Harwood, Elain (16 February 2017). “Richard Burton obituary”. The Guardian.
- ^ ABK Profile Archived 2010-02-06 at the Wayback Machine, ABK Architects.
- ^ “A speech by HRH The Prince of Wales at the 150th anniversary of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Gala Evening at Hampton Court Palace”. PrinceofWales.gov.uk. 30 May 1984. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
- ^ Fulcher, Merlin (17 February 2012). “ABK shuts London office”. Architects Journal.
- ^ National Life Stories, ‘Ahrends, Peter (1 of 16) National Life Stories Collection: Architects’ Lives’, The British Library Board, 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2018
- ^ National Life Stories, ‘Burton, Richard (1 of 10) National Life Stories Collection: Architects’ Lives’, The British Library Board, 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2018
- ^ Sainsbury’s Archive https://sainsburyarchive.org.uk/catalogue/search/sabra7c610-image-of-model-of-kingsmead-road-canterbury-branch/ref/p422-canterbury-kingsmead-road-1984-present-sainsburys-branch/fbr/true/c/1
- ^ Powell, Ken (2012). Ahrends, Burton and Koralek. London: RIBA. ISBN 978-1-85946-166-2. OCLC 798068720.