John James (Australian architect)
John Roger Haughton James (born 1931) is a British-born Australian architect and historian. Early life James was born in London, and landed in Australia on his eighth birthday. His parents was Richard "Jimmy" Haughton James, designer and painter, and Charlotte "Terry" Stevens. He is an Australian architect who turned to the study of Early Gothic architecture and sculpture, and in particular the Chartres Cathedral. At the same time James studied psychotherapy and practised for 30 years while writing and publishing on medieval architecture. James entered the University of Melbourne in 1949 to study Architecture under professor Brian Lewis, and was awarded a degree with honours in 1953. His instructors included leading Modernist Roy Grounds, Robin Boyd, Frederick Romberg and Fritz Janeba. He also completed a three-year sub-major in Art History under Prof. Joseph Burke, under whom he surveyed the Melbourne terrace house and its cast-iron tracery, now held in the Dixon Library, Sydney. He was inspired by Geoffrey Serle to investigate the New Guard, the Sydney fascist movement set up to remove the Lang Labor government in the 1930s. James married Hilary Kelly and they have three children. After working in England, Sweden, Italy and British West Africa, the couple returned to Australia. James received a Master of Building Science under professor Henry J. Cowan at Sydney University in 1966, with a thesis on site control on large buildings, and in 1988 he gained a PhD in medieval architecture from the University of NSW, which was published as The Template-makers of the Paris Basin. Architectural practice James founded his architectural practice in Sydney (1957-1971) where he was part of the Sydney School in domestic architecture, akin to the California redwood houses early last century. He became the first builder-architect to be certified by the Australian Institute of Architects in 1958. He designed over 200 houses and is best known for the Reader's Digest head office (1962–67) in Sydney with a significant roof garden that won many awards. The building is now a protected National Heritage Monument, and considered part of the Brutalist movement in Australia. James was in partnership with Ross Yuncken from 1959 and as well with Peru Perumal from 1968. James' experience in both construction and design spurred his interest in the role of the master mason in medieval European building. While running his architectural practice he taught the history of medieval architecture and studio design at Sydney Technical College and at the Universities of Sydney and New South Wales (1966-2007). In 2008 James was recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for "Service to architecture as a practitioner, educator and historian, particularly as a leading scholar on French Gothic architectural history". A little earlier he had received the American Institute of Architects Honour for Collaborative Achievement, for his work on French Gothic architecture (2005), and in 2018 the Australian Institute of Architects Enduring Architecture award for the Reader's Digest building. The Contractors of Chartres Controversy In 1969 he traveled to France to examine the