Prof. Gilbert Herbert (z’l)
by Prof. Hary Brand
Gilbert Herbert was born in Johannesburg on 22 June 1924, the third son of Benjamin and Sophia Herbert. Educated at Parktown Boys High School, he matriculated with distinction in English, Science, Mathematics and Art. He studied Architecture at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg from 1942-46, being a frequent prize-winner and on several occasions receiving the accolade “Scholar of the University,” and in March 1947 was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Architecture. While a student Herbert had volunteered for military service, received training in the University’s unit in the Engineering Corps, but was invalided out after a motor accident. (During the War of Independence this training came in useful, when he acted as an instructor for the SA League for the Hagana). On graduation Herbert was offered a teaching post at the University, converted later that year to a full-time permanent lectureship. At the end of 1949 he received a special South African Government Scholarship to study systems of architectural education, and spent 1950 at the Bartlett School, the Architectural Association, the University of Liverpool; Columbia University, Harvard, and the MIT. He was later awarded an MArch degree for the dissertation “Academic Education in Architecture.” In 1951 he completed his studies for the post-graduate Diploma in Town Planning.
John Moffat building
In 1953 Herbert married Valerie Ryan, a graduate of Cape Town University, and they had two children, Barry Charles (1955-1977) and Margaret Lynn (b1959). In Johannesburg Gilbert continued his academic career, while at the same time maintaining a modest architectural practice. Most of his work was residential, but two major buildings were the unique Cinerama Theatre, and – as part of a team – the John Moffat Building, which housed The School of Architecture and Fine Arts.
CineramaTheatre Joannesburg.
The most prestigious South African Architectural Award was the Baker Scholarship, administered by the Trustees in London, and awarded every four years. Herbert was named a Baker Scholar for 1957, and was required to divide the year between Italy and England. Four months were spent in Rome, mainly at the British School at Rome, and two months exploring the architecture of Europe, from Sicily to the Channel coast. In England, Herbert renewed his contacts with his professional colleagues, and worked in the Library of the RIBA to round off his Italian researches. Herbert’s report, “The Real and the Ideal in Italian Architecture,” appeared subsequently as several separate articles in the SA Architectural Record and the RIBA Journal.
Casa della Salamandra
The South Africa to which the Herberts eventually returned was in political turmoil, a country of violence and moral dilemmas, hardly a desirable environment in which to bring up a young family. Vital decisions had to be made. When the opportunity arose to take up a senior academic post in Australia Gilbert Herbert accepted it without hesitation. In February 1961 the family flew to South Australia for Herbert to take up the position of Reader in Architecture and Town Planning at the University of Adelaide. After a settling-in period they integrated well into the university, the wider national academic framework, and especially the small Jewish community. The seven years in Adelaide were remarkably fruitful ones academically, and Herbert’s career flourished as his reputation both in Australia and abroad grew in status. Together with this expansion of output came another significant development. The Herberts were scions of families with a healthy sense of their Jewish identity and Zionist loyalties. In Adelaide these were transformed from the passive to the active sense. Naturally they were both pillars of the local synagogue. Valerie was a founder of Wizo Carmel, its first president, and member of South Australia’s Wizo State Council. Gilbert was for some years President of the JNF of South Australia, chaired the Friends of the Hebrew University, was a member of the State Zionist Council of South Australia, and made frequent trips to Melbourne for National meetings. Planning their 1966 sabbatical, Israel was naturally on the itinerary. It was on this occasion that Herbert met with leading figures of the Technion for the first time, and the question of joining the staff was raised. When at the end of 1966 he returned to Adelaide, this move had already become a goal.
The Herberts came on aliya in August 1968, after a traumatic interregnum caused by the Six-Day War, internal strife in the Technion, uncertainty about the future, and the Herberts’ wish to celebrate their son’s barmitzvah in Johannesburg. On arrival in Haifa Gilbert Herbert took up his temporary post as Associate Professor, an act of faith for someone who had held a tenured position since 1947. That faith was vindicated as stage by stage he consolidated his position. Temporary status became permanent; associate professorship became full professor; his South African doctorate (DLitt et Phil) was confirmed; and the confidence of his colleagues won over when, in 1973, he was elected Dean of the Faculty. The Herberts shared the joys and traumas of other Israelis. During the Yom Kippur War they were concerned, as all Israeli parents, for the safety of their soldier son. They exulted over the Entebbe rescue, mourned the slain Olympic athletes. Like others, they endured the confinement of the sealed room during the first Gulf War. During the second Lebanese War Gilbert sat Shiva in Safed for his late brother, as a rain of rockets fell around the family’s apartment building. Life went on: a son died in an accident, a daughter was married, birthdays and anniversaries were celebrated, grandchildren grew up, went into the army, studied. Academic achievements were consolidated. Herbert was awarded the Mary Hill Swope Chair in Architecture, founded and directed the Architectural Heritage Research Centre, received a string of prizes and awards including an Honorary Doctorate in Architecture to mark the centenary of the city of Johannesburg. Research flourished, an increasing number of his graduate students became teachers and researchers in their own right – and the flow of notable publications increased. When in 1997 the Technion celebrated Herbert’s 50th year as a teacher and researcher, the volume it produced of his collected writings (The Search for Synthesis – the Jubilee edition) was his seventh book. During the many years since his retirement in 1993 that creative output has not ceased. In his 89th year, his tenth book on architectural history was published by Ashgate, a prestigious English publishing house. In 2015 the Faculty of Architecture organized a well-attended public function celebrating Professor Herbert’s life and achievements, with personal tributes and several addresses on topics of architectural history relevant to his work.
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SHORT CURRICULUM VITAE: PROFESSOR GILBERT HERBERT
June 2016
Surname: HERBERT Given name: Gilbert
Date of birth: 22 June 1924 Place of birth: Johannesburg, S. Africa
Profession: Architect and Town Planner Married to: Valerie Estelle (born Ryan)
Son: Barry Charles (dec.) Daughter: Margalit (m. Boeangiu)
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg:
B.Arch. 1947; Dip.T.P. 1951; M.Arch. 1955; D. Arch. (honoris causa) 1986
University of South Africa, Pretoria: D.Litt. et Phil. 1969
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
1947-1961: Lecturer in Architecture
University of Adelaide, South Australia
1961-1968: Reader in Architecture and Town Planning
1964: Acting Dean, Faculty of Architecture
Technion: Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa
1968-1972: Associate Professor;
1972-1993: Mary Hill Swope Professor of Architecture
1972-1974: Dean, Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning;
1982-1993: Director, Documentation Unit, later Architectural Heritage Research Centre
Since 1993: Professor Emeritus
Bezalel Academy, Jerusalem: Adjunct Professor (equiv.), 1970-1972, 1976-1979
University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg: Visiting Professor, 1975, 1985, 1988
University of Adelaide, South Australia: Distinguished Visiting Scholar, 1979
Universities of Sydney and New South Wales: Louis Klein Exchange Professor, 1979
University of Paraña, Curitiba, Brazil: Visiting Professor, 1980
Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., USA: Visiting Scholar, 1981
University of Natal, Durban: Visiting Professor, 1993
Architect in private practice, South Africa 1947-1961, Australia 1961-1968
Member, Panel of Judges: Israel Prize, Wolf Prize, Rechter Prize, etc.
Commissioned research, Ministry of Housing, Israel, 1972, 1978, 1984, 1991
Israel Electric Corporation, 2001
Union Government Postgraduate special award (South Africa) 1950
Sir Herbert Baker Scholar (South Africa) 1957
Myer Foundation Research Award (Australia) 1967
Architectural Writers and Critics Award (S.A. Inst. of Arch.) 1979
Graham Foundation Research Award (USA) 1981
Joseph H. Hazen Award (Israel Museum) 1982
Honorary Doctorate (University of the Witwatersrand) 1986
Haifa Prize (Haifa Municipality) 1994
Award of Merit (contribution to education) (Assoc. of Eng. and Arch. in Israel) 1997
Award of Merit (contribution to research) (Assoc. of Arch. and Planners. in Israel) 1998
Award of Honour (contribution to education): (Israel Assoc.of United Architects) 2013
Fellow, Royal Institute of British Architects;
Fellow, Royal Australian Institute of Architects
Member, South African Institute of Architects;
Member, Association of Engineers and Architects in Israel;
Member, American Society of Architectural Historians (retired)
Invited contributions to sixteen books edited by others, published in Israel, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, United States, and Canada.
Invited contributions to several major encyclopaedias and dictionaries of art and architecture
Numerous research reports and five monographs
Over fifty papers in scholarly and professional journals published in Israel, South Africa,
United Kingdom, Germany, United States, Holland and Australia.
(designerΘ; sections based on my research*; academic consultant#)
Architecture en Industrie*, Centre George Pompidou, Paris 1983
Advanced Structures around the World*, Syracuse University 1989
Alexander Baerwald 1877-1930: Architect and Artist#, The National Museum of Science, Planning and Technology, Haifa
Erich Mendelsohn in PalestineΘ#, shown in Israel, Germany, South Africa, Japan
Bauhaus-on-the-CarmelΘ*, shown in Israel, Italy, Japan, USA
First Light: Rutenberg and the Architecture of Power Stations in the 1920s and 30s*#, Israel Museum, 2003, Haifa Museum 2004
Home Delivery: Fabricating the Modern Dwelling*, Museum of Modern Art, NY, 2008
Family history: Genealogical studies, essays and monographs on family history
Creative work: Painting and drawing; writing poetry.
