Tony Watkins

New Zealand had been left behind by the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council.

Frederick Gibberd had already won the competition for the new Liverpool Catholic Cathedral by the time I arrived in London in 1961. With my background in architecture as liturgy I was delighted to be able to join the team doing the working drawings, with particular responsibility for the bell-tower entry.

Architecture is either full-steam ahead or dead stop. When a client decides to proceed they normally want the contract drawings finished the following day. However when a client decides to cancel a contract everything evaporates along with the money. The Government Life Building in Hamilton took this full-on process to an extreme.

One of my first jobs, when I was working for Gummer and Ford, was a sundial for the Treaty House at Waitangi.

Through the London winter of 1963-1964 I worked on the roof of the Hayward Gallery for the GLC.