Gordon Carey – Architect
I was born in Leeds and went to primary school in the city. I always loved drawing as a child and knew from about the age of ten that I wanted to be an architect.
My dad was a salesman and after years selling cake decorations, he decided to emigrate to Australia, so I spent my teenage years in Brisbane, having a wonderful time. Then my mum and sisters got homesick and back we all came. I did A-levels and got into Leeds School of Architecture, at which point my family all decided that they had made a mistake and went back to Oz, leaving me here. Ironic really, as I was the only one who hadn’t wanted to come back!
I did go back to Sydney to do my Part Two and had a great two years working as an architect, with real responsibility. Back in Britain I worked for a number of firms, before finally taking the plunge and setting up my own practice with my old university friend, Chris Jones.
I have chosen this place, Clarence Dock because of how it looks, reflected in the water. It is a pity that we did not have some sun on the day of the shoot, because the whole development sparkles in the sunshine. Our practice first got involved with this site over twenty years ago, when it was a dreary canal-side industrial wasteland, and to see it now on a sunny weekend, busy with boats and people, makes me proud to be an architect and to have been instrumental in that transformation.
My Place is a section where people share places that are significant in their lives. If you would like to take part in My Place, simply email your photo and a text of up to 250 words to johnbrucemullin@hotmail.com
