Professor Sir Peter Hall (1932-2014)

Professor Sir Peter Hall was a towering figure in planning, geography and urbanism. Press reaction to his recent passing has focused on his work - here I offer a personal tribute.

Press reaction has focused on his work

I have read lots of press obituaries of Professor Sir Peter Hall – or Peter to absolutely anyone who knew or worked with him. Understandably, all detail his prodigious achievements in urbanism and planning.

The list of obituaries, included at the foot of the piece, is testament to his achievements – not many British urbanists make it to The Times let alone The New York Times.

The barometer I prefer is my local second-hand-book shop – just once, in two years, have I seen a work on cities in the window display (Cities in Civilization – arguably his magnum opus).

I'd heard good things about him - and liked him straight away

I had heard of Peter’s kindness before I met him – a former geography undergrad student of his at Reading described him as “a lovely man; incredibly kind”.

I liked him the first time I met him. He had just asked me if I had ever read Eleanora Carus-Wilson’s work on innovation in the thirteenth century East Anglian woollen industry. A smile broke out across my face – I declared I hadn’t but inwardly loved the fact that someone in my field had been so scholarly as to have read it. The occasion was my doctoral viva – he was the external examiner. Peter left me his comments on several sheets of paper – in what I later gathered was his trademark use of italicized font and very large blackboard felt pens.

He was very focused on ideas and projects

I also remember smiling at his erudition when reading a magazine column he had written which started out with him declaring how he was reading the international PISA education tables in Süddeutsche Zeitung whilst flying over southern Germany. There are a few (non-German) urbanists who could have written that but far fewer still who could have done so without being seen as pretentious.

Peter didn’t do pretension – or jealousy or pettiness or pomposity. He was too focused on issues, ideas, plans and policy problems – bound up with his work. I don’t think I ever saw him downcast.

On the London Project he showed modesty and great knowledge

After my PhD I went to work on a project on London that he co-Directed. I wanted to be on a project that had major involvement from Peter. The project was part of the wider Cities Programme and, at one early Programme meeting, we were doing round-the-table introductions – Peter just said his name and role like everyone else (it simply didn’t occur to him that EVERYONE knew who he was). He was modest.

The project revealed his encyclopedic knowledge of the capital – supplemented by him just getting in his car and driving around, including forays to the farther reaches of the Thames Gateway (places that many others just happily talked about in the abstract).

He was a Professor in the true sense of the word

Peter realized that ideas and research are nothing without the cultivation of the next generation of academics and practitioners to take them forward. He professed his discipline in an always-enthused manner that captivated scholars and laymen alike.

One of the chapters in Cities in Civilization was on Silicon Valley. In it he mentioned the many firms that had spun out of Fairchild Semi-conductor - amusingly dubbed the Fairchildren by some. He too had many similar (non-biological) children scattered in universities and planning departments around the World – people who had benefited from his time. I have seen glowing early career references that he wrote for two now-eminent urbanism professors. I know of others who were always keen to involve him in their events and work. People, even senior academics, clearly wanted his approval – I certainly did.

Many will just know Peter as the white-haired elder statesman of planning – doubtless a factor that added to his avuncular appeal. Curiously, I did once see an old black and white photo of him with what appeared to be jet black hair - very rum! (an exclamation I once I heard him use and which I have now appropriated).

Peter certainly helped me

In addition to examining my PhD and employing me on a couple of occasions, he also helped with research applications and umpteen references.

He invited me to his Ealing home a couple of times to hammer out work things. He was very hospitable and, the first time, asked me, in a mildly faux American accent, what ‘my beverage of choice’ was – another line I still use.

He also knew it had been a longstanding aim of mine to get out to the States and had helped with references. He was genuinely delighted at my making it over here – his response was mostly all in block capitals and finished with an exclamation mark!

He was rarely angered but was endearing even then

Even on the couple of times I saw him annoyed he was still not especially menacing.

On one occasion he was nearing incandescence when discussing an inept University recruitment process that he was involved in – not UCL I should stress! The rest of us were trying not to laugh.

He was also angry with me on one occasion too – another HR issue. Someone had mentioned me to him and he said “I really do not want to speak to Gareth” [again, I was trying not to laugh - he hadn’t realized I was stood beside him at the time]. He was later profusely apologetic as my presence had been explained to him and he realized the HR issue had been resolved.

Reaction to his passing spoke volumes of the man

I was very sad to learn, via one of the aforementioned now-eminent academics of whom he thought so highly, of his serious ill health and then his passing shortly after.

His death was all over social media – something I am pretty sure he had no time for. The idea of trending on Twitter would probably have made him laugh though – he had a keen sense of humour. People were expressing sadness from all corners of the earth and from recent students to retirees. He wasn’t just hugely respected for his work – people were very fond of him.

Final memories

Thankfully there is plenty of material out there on the internet to help people remember (or discover) what he sounded and looked like. Here, for example, is a talk he gave in 2009 at his beloved Berkeley.

I feel extremely privileged to have known him and will be forever extremely grateful for his readily-given support.

(source: The Planner - official magazine of the RTPI)

Those press obituaries

The Times (pay), The Telegraph, The Economist, The Financial Times (pay), The Herald Scotland, Building Design (pay), The Guardian, The New York Times, Planning Resource I and II (both pay).

Some other, more personal, internet reaction

The blogs of Matthew Carmona and Michael Edwards mention his work whilst also showing the affection in which he was held by them and his other colleagues at the Bartlett.

Tom Bridges has reflected on Peter's work and working with him here.

Fellow planners at the TCPA and RTPI also stress his generosity. Acclaim hasn't all been national and international - Peter's local Civic Society in Ealing will miss him too.