Claim: John Nash built Buckingham Palace.

John Nash -LRB- 18 January 1752 -- 13 May 1835 -RRB- was a British architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency London under the patronage of the Prince Regent , and during his reign as George IV . Nash was also a pioneer in the use of the Picturesque in architecture . His best-known buildings are the Royal Pavilion , Brighton , and Buckingham Palace -LRB- though the facade facing The Mall is an early 20th-century remodelling by Aston Webb of an 1850s wing by Edward Blore , and thus is not Nash 's work -RRB- . Many of his buildings were built by the property developer James Burton , who also lent him financial assistance when he encountered financial problems during his projects on Regent Street . In return , Nash promoted the career of Burton 's son , Decimus Burton , who assisted him with several of his designs and later became a famous architect in his own right .