page_title: John Smith (architect)
section_title: Career
hierarchical_section_title: John Smith (architect) / Career
caption_attribution_description: English: Aberdeen Arts Centre Once a church, the building has found new life as the Aberdeen Arts Centre, a major focus for community arts in Aberdeen.
context_page_description: John Smith was a Scottish architect. His career started in 1805 and he was appointed as the official city architect of Aberdeen in 1807, the first person to hold this post. Together with Archibald Simpson, he contributed significantly to the architecture of Aberdeen, and many of the granite buildings that gave the city the nickname 'The Granite City' or also 'The Silver City' are attributed to them.
  Smith was the son of a successful builder and architect and his own son, William, continued the family tradition by also becoming an architect. After completing his training in London, Smith quickly became established throughout the north-east of Scotland. He secured private commissions to design, renovate or alter numerous country houses, parish churches and castles; his official capacity as City Architect ensured he is also credited with several extensive public works. Towards the middle of his career around the 1830s, as his individuality developed, he gained the nickname of 'Tudor Johnny'; an indication his designs were starting to favour a Tudor Gothic styling.
context_section_description: One of Smith's first major commissions was to design a town house for the merchant Patrick Milne in 1805. Sited on Union Street, Aberdeen, Crimonmogate was a two-storey "Greek inspired country house" with a five windowed frontage. He is next credited with the design of Footdee, an area within Aberdeen. Consisting of 56 but and ben one storey thatched houses arranged in two squares, the plans quickly received Council approval and construction was completed by 1809. The new housing accommodated residents formerly living in condemned properties beside the harbour; the re-location of these tenants allowed the Council to begin initial proceedings for Thomas Telford's 1824 Aberdeen Harbour improvements, which Smith was also associated with.
  Smith was appointed as the official architect for Aberdeen in 1807. He is credited with compiling the first map showing a correct outline of Aberdeen city in 1810 indicating present and planned improvements.
  Archibald Simpson returned to Aberdeen in 1813, establishing a business competing with Smith. Both firms were successful despite uncertainties due to the War and their careers were described by Miller as "destined to run remarkably parallel". Although at times rivals, Smith often collaborated with Simpson and between these two men their buildings became the nucleus of establishing the style of the heart of the Aberdeen city centre. As the buildings were constructed from silver granite, the city gained the name of the Silver City or alternatively the Granite City.
  Smith became known as "Tudor Johnny" as his later designs around the 1830s, particularly for mansions and churches, incorporated a Tudor-Gothic form. However, his civic designs in Aberdeen city remained in a neo-classical style.
  Miller designates Smith's design for the North Church in Aberdeen as "generally considered to be his greatest building" and further states "Undisputedly by far the finest neoclassical church in the City of Aberdeen." Sited on the corner of Queen Street and King Street the design gained approval from the Town Council in September 1828. The church opened in June 1831 but it was years later before sufficient funding was available to install clocks. A Greek Revival style was used in the construction of the 120 feet (37 m) by 62 feet (19 m) rectangular building with a circular pepper pot tower set upon a two-stage box tower. It was the tallest building in Aberdeen until its height was surpassed by the spire of the Triple Kirk designed by Simpson. Suitable to seat 1600 at services, congregation numbers declined and the church closed in 1954. It was used as the Aberdeen Arts Centre from the early 1960s.
  One of the last designs before his death was for Balmoral Castle; he initially did some work re-building the tower for Robert Gordon, 5th son of the 3rd Earl of Aberdeen, who was leasing Balmoral in 1830. Subsequently, he was involved with drawing up the initial plans for the new castle, by this time owned by Queen Victoria and Price Albert after meeting Price Albert on Friday 11 September 1848. After Smith died in 1852 the final designs and work were undertaken by his son William.
  He is buried with his wife, Margaret Grant, in the churchyard of the Kirk of St Nicholas on Union Street in Aberdeen.
caption: 33 King Street, now Aberdeen Arts Centre, formerly the North Church
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