SHAW, RICHARD NORMAN (1831-1912), British archi tect, was born in Edinburgh on May 7, 1831. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed in London to William Burn. He also attended the architectural schools of the Royal Academy, where, in he gained the gold medal and two years' travelling studentship. On his return in 1856 he published the drawings made during his two years abroad, Architectural Sketches from the Continent. He then entered the office of G. E. Street, and presently became his chief assistant. In 1863, after sixteen years of severe training, he began to practise. He went into partnership with W. E. Nesfield, who had worked with him in Burn's office, and even when the part nership was dissolved the two men occupied the same office for some time. In 1872 Shaw was elected an Associate of the Royal Academy, and a full member in 1877; he joined the "retired" list towards the end of 1901. He died at Hampstead on Nov. 7, 1912.
Characteristic examples of Shaw's work are Preen Manor, Shropshire; New Zealand Chambers, Leadenhall Street; Pierre pont, Wispers, and Merrist Wood, in Surrey; Lowther Lodge, Kensington; Adcote, in Shropshire; his houses at Kensington, Chelsea and at Hampstead ; Flete House, Devonshire ; Greenham Lodge, Berkshire; Dawpool, in Cheshire; Bryanstone, in Dorset shire ; Chesters, Northumberland ; New Scotland Yard, on the Thames Embankment ; besides several fine works in Liverpool and the neighbourhood. Shaw broke away from the academic tradi
tion in which he was held, to adopt the characteristic style which entirely changed English domestic architecture. Shaw's style has been vulgarized by the imitations of the speculative builder, but the houses he himself designed were admirable in proportion and in their adaptation to their purpose. They were the outcome of much enthusiastic and intelligent study of old examples, and were based directly on old methods and traditions. As his powers developed, his buildings gained in dignity, and had an air of seren ity and a quiet homely charm which were less conspicuous in his earlier works ; the "half timber" was more sparingly used, and finally disappeared entirely. His planning is invariably fine and full of ingenuity. Adcote (a beautiful drawing of which hangs in the Diploma Gallery at Burlington House) is perhaps the best example of the series of his country houses built between 1870 and 1880. The elements are few but perfectly proportioned and com bined, and the scale throughout is consistent. The Great Hall is the keynote of the plan, and is properly but not unduly empha sized. New Scotland Yard is undoubtedly Mr. Shaw's finest and most complete work. Unfortunately no great public rebuilding scheme in London was ever entrusted to him, but his spirit and his enthusiasm for his art inspired many of the younger men.