David Laing (19th century architect)

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David Laing (1774 - 1856) is principally known as the architect of the New Custom House in London, which was completed in 1817 and collapsed in 1825. Assisted by a young William Tite, he also rebuilt the church of St Dunstan-in-the-East between 1817 and 1821.

In 1818 Laing published a book of plans and drawings which included details of the problems he had encountered in laying the foundations of the New Custom House. The subsidence of those foundations was later to cause the collapse of the building, which had to be rebuilt, under the direction of Sir Robert Smirke.

After the collapse of the New Custom House Laing was suspended from his post as Architect & Surveyor of the Board of Customs, and his practice was ruined.

[edit] References

• H.M. Colvin, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840 (1997) ISBN 0-300-07207-4