RUSSELL, John Alonzo (1907-1966) of Winnipeg, Man. was best know as an architect and educator who served as the Director and Dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Manitoba in a transitional era after WWII. Like his counterpart in Toronto, Prof. Eric Arthur, he was singularly responsible for introducing ideas about the emerging modernist movement in architecture, and three generations of architectural students were influenced by his teaching.
Born in Hinsdale, New Hampshire, USA on 28 October 1907, he was educated at Brattleboro, Vermont and studied architecture at the Massachusetts Inst. of Technology in Cambridge where he graduated in 1928. That same year, he was appointed as a new Assistant Professor of Architecture at the Univ. of Manitoba in 1928 (R.A.I.C. Journal, v, Dec. 1928, xxx). He returned to Boston in 1930 and continued his studies at M.I.T., obtaining a Masters Degree in Architecture in 1932. That same year, he was awarded a scholarship from the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris to study at the School of Fine Arts at Fontainebleau (Const., xxv, May 1932, 121).
He worked for the Wartime Housing Ltd. In Winnipeg and for Moody & Moore, Architects while serving as Assistant Professor in 1941-47, and was appointed as Director of the School of Architecture in 1947, a position he held until his death in 1966. Russell served as President of the Manitoba Assoc. of Architects in 1952, and was later elected as Dean of the College of Fellows of the R.A.I.C. in Ottawa. He held a particular passion for theatre and stage design, and prepared the drawings for over 90 stage settings for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Winnipeg Little Theatre, and the University of Manitoba Drama Society. After 1950, he also served as jury member and professional advisor for several national architectural competitions including those for the Mendel Art Centre (Saskatoon), the Winnipeg City Hall, and for the Confederation Building (Charlottetown).
Russell died in Winnipeg on 28 December 1966 (obituary Winnipeg Tribune, 29 Dec. 1966, 20; Winnipeg Free Press, 29 Dec. 1966, 1; biog. in Canadian Biographies, pub. by the Canadian Library Association, 1948). The John A. Russell Building, located on the campus of the Univ. of Manitoba, is named in his honour. Built in 1959, it serves as the School of Architecture for the university.
SELECTED ESSAYS
“The Architect in the Community”, a radio address delivered in 1936, with full transcript in the RAIC Journal, xiii, Dec. 1936, 232
“Design for Acting”, an illustrated article on the architectural design of stage sets for the theatre, including sets for The Mikado, The Cradle Song, and for The Stage Door (R.A.I.C. Journal, xviii, May 1941, 79-82, illus. & descrip.)
“The Auditorium and Stage in Your Community Centre”, an illustrated article and primer on how to design public auditoriums in post-war community centres (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxiii, July 1946, 157-62, 180, illus. & descrip.)
“An Appreciation of Milton S. Osborne”, a tribute by Russell to his colleague at the School of Architecture, in R.A.I.C. Journal, xxiii, Sept. 1946, 193.
“University of Manitoba - School of Architecture”, a description of activities at the school (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxv, May 1948, 139)
“Designs for Everyday Use” , an exhibition at the Winnipeg Art Gallery organized by Russell and his staff and students (R.A.I.C. Journal, xxv, May 1948, 179)
BOOKS
“Community Centres”, a book produced by the Planning Research Centre of the University of Manitoba, 1948
“Rural Housing”, a book produced by the Planning Research Centre of the University of Manitoba, 1948