Ralph Tubbs

Who was Ralph Tubbs?

Ralph Tubbs, OBE, FRIBA was a British architect. Well known amongst the buildings he designed was the Dome of Discovery at the successful Festival of Britain on the South Bank in London in 1951.

Ralph was educated at the Architectural Association, which is highly regarded in Modern architecture and engineering, and then worked for Ernö Goldfinger from 1935 onward, participating in the design of Goldfingers house on 2 Willow Road. In 1940 he designed the Living in Cities exhibition for the British Institute of Adult Education and the Council for Encouragement of Music and Arts, for which he made in 1942 a small book as well. During the World War II, Tubbs was not in services for medical reason, and worked as firewatcher.

Buildings designed by Tubbs include

1935-1938 2 Willow Road, Hampstead, London

1948-1951 Dome of Discovery, South Bank, London

1952-1953 YMCA Indian Student Hostel, Fitzrovia, London

1956-1961 Baden-Powell House, Kensington, London

Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith, London

1960 Granada House, Manchester

Ralph and his wife Mary Tubbs lived in Wimbledon Village for most of their life. They had two sons and a daughter: Jonathan Tubbs, who is currently an architect in Wimbledon, James Tubbs, who is an engineer and Danielle who is a nurse. Ralph won many awards for his designs. His wife died in May 2007.