Robertson, Sir Howard Morley (1888–1963). American-born British architect. He trained in Paris and the USA and formed a partnership (1919–31) with John Murray Easton (1889–1975), which became Easton & Robertson. Their Royal Horticultural Hall, London (1925) exploited the parabolic arch, and the whole ensemble, including the stepped arrangement of windows, recalling Berg's Jahrhunderthalle (Century Hall), Breslau (Wrocław), was as advanced an interior for its date as can be found anywhere. Robertson's admiration for Mendelsohn was demonstrated in his Metropolitan Water Board Laboratories, New River Head, Rosebery Avenue, London (1938). The firm also carried out the remodelling of the Savoy Hotel (1930–9), Claridge's Hotel (1935–9), and Sadler's Wells Theatre (1939), all in London. One of their best works was the Bank of England Printing Works, Loughton, Essex (1956), for which Arup was the consultant. One of Robertson's last buildings was the Shell Centre, York Road, Waterloo, London (1961), a lumpish tower that did not add to his reputation. He published widely: among his books were The Principles of Architectural Composition (1924), Architecture Explained (1926), Modern Architectural Design (1932), and Architecture Arising (1944). He was Principal of the Architectural Association School of Architecture (1920–35).

Bibliography

Architectural Review, cxiv/681 (Sept. 1953) 160–8;
M&N (1987);
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004);
H. Robertson (1924)