David Medd

Medd was born in Elswick, Lancashire in 1917.[2][1] He attended Oundle School and later joined the Architectural Association (AA) in 1936 upon recommendation from his uncle, Henry Medd, and guidance from designer Gordon Russell.[3][2] At the Architectural Association, he met Mary Crowley, and both had the opportunity to work under architects such Berthold Lubetkin and Ernö Goldfinger.[3]

After qualifying in 1941, Medd served at the Camouflage Development and Training Centre in Farnham with Stirrat Johnson-Marshall.[3][1] During the post-war period, they collaborated to address the educational infrastructure needs of Hertfordshire, which experienced a population surge.[3] Along with education officer John Newsom, they explored innovative design philosophies to adapt to the teaching advancements of the time.[3]

Medd further contributed to the Ministry of Education's prefabrication initiative, working along with Hills of West Bromwich to develop a modular primary school design based on an 8ft 3in grid.[3]

In 1949, Medd and Crowley joined Johnson-Marshall at the Ministry of Education, working on prototype school structures.[3][1] They further transitioned to designing brick buildings, emphasizing efficient space use for diverse teaching needs.[3] One such design was the village school at Finmere, which introduced flexible, mixed-age teaching spaces, later implemented in urban settings.[3][1]

The Eveline Lowe school in London, co-designed with John Kay in 1964-6, reflected Medd's preference for segmented spaces, prioritizing natural light and ventilation.[3] Its design provided an alternative to the prevalent urban tower blocks.[3]

Medd received an OBE in 1964.[3][1] In his later years, Medd engaged in a documentary project comparing his architectural contributions with modern designs.[3]