Colin St John Wilson

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Sir Colin St John ‘Sandy’ Wilson (born 1922), son of Henry Wilson, Bishop of Chelmsford, is a British architect, lecturer and author. Born in Cheltenham, he studied architecture at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge before joining the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and serving in India. When his war service ended in 1946 he completed his studies at University College London, graduating as an architect in 1949.

After graduating St John Wilson went to work at the London County Council architects department, under the directorship of Sir Leslie Martin. When Martin became professor of architecture at Cambridge University, Wilson joined him as a lecturer. St John Wilson himself was Professor of Architecture at Cambridge University from 1975 to 1989, since when he has been professor emeritus. He worked with Martin in the design of Harvey Court at Caius College, Cambridge - which St John Wilson himself argues had an influence on Italian rationalist architecture, especially that of Aldo Rossi.

In terms of architectural production, St John Wilson is best-known for designing the current British Library building in London, began in 1962 and finally completed - after a sordid 25-year history of political wrangles, budget overspending and design problems - in 1997. The architecture of the huge building is influenced by several sources: the surrounding Victorian architecture in the St.Pancras area of London, the collegiate architecture of Cambridge University and, in the interior, the work of Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. More recently, St John Wilson designed the new Pallant House Gallery in Chichester, England, which opened in June 2006.

St John Wilson married his assistant, Mary Jane 'MJ' Long, in 1972. He is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Royal Academy.