Obituary: Ian Reynolds

Ian Brampton Reynolds, a former president of the Institute of Architects, had a particular relationship with the University of Auckland.

He designed the Schools of Architecture and Engineering as the principal architect of the engineering and architecture practice Kingston Reynolds Thom and Allardice.

And as a town planner he was also a lynchpin in the "battle of the sites" in the late 1950s when the university determined to continue in the city rather than move entirely to Tamaki.

The Auckland City Council had zoned the land near the then University College site of under 5ha for high- density residential housing and other purposes.

But the university required the council to designate more than 16ha on the Symonds St ridge for university use.

The council lost a 1960 appeal in which Mr Reynolds argued for the Crown that Auckland industries were establishing near large suburban populations, and that the disposal of residential population in the central city would not cause that area to atrophy.

"Rather, by removing these domestic functions, this change will allow the city area to assume its proper role as the administrative, commercial and cultural centre for the whole region."

Mr Reynolds became site consultant to the university for forward planning on all aspects of campus developments, including landscaping and open spaces.

Retired architect Professor Allan Wild, who knew him for 60 years, says that in time this work extended to the University Park at Tamaki, the Tamaki campus, the Leigh marine establishment and the Medical School in Grafton.

Mr Reynolds was made an honorary fellow of the university in 1995, which retired conservation architect Denys Oldham says Ian referred to as his "beatification".

He also had much to do with developments at Victoria University.

Ian Reynolds was born in Christchurch and later went to Wellington College.

After World War II he entered the then tiny architecture school at Auckland, where he met his future wife, Marilyn Hart.

He is survived by Marilyn, five sons and a daughter.