Imagine a scene from a psychadelic Willy Wonka-esque village where little multi-coloured houses sit side by side with odd artifacts slavaged from mansion houses far and wide. Now plonk this village onto the coast of North Wales and we have Portmeirion. A place where not all is how it first seems.
Portmeirion was the brainchild of Clough William-Ellis, the son of a Reverend and graduate from Cambridge University. Buying the land in 1925, Clough’s vision was always clear “that the development of a naturally beautiful site need not lead to its defilement and that architectural good manners could be good business”. So the beginning of a project (or was it programme?) was born and one which would take two tranches to finally complete in 1976.
Portmeirion
For someone interested in project management, here was an opportunity to see how one man turned his interest in architecture into a lifelong project and ulimately leave a brilliant legacy for generations to see. The interesting thing about Clough was not just this extraordinary vision – and a vision that did not waver throughout all those decades of getting to the point to realise it – it was created by a man who didn’t have the professional qualifications to do it in the first place. Clough only attended the Architectural Association School for three months before leaving to work in private practice.
The Bristol Colonnade and Chantry
Can you imagine beginning to re-create something like Portmeirion now? The costs involved for buying the land (it was estimated at £5K back in 1925) let alone the planning permission required (it seems planning permission was a trival matter back in the day). Something on this scale – although Portmeirion is relatively small in size (70 acres all in) – which meets that vision today would require a hefty amount of planning, contractors, just-in-time deliveries, the works in other words! Portmeirion is also a place that benefits from the environmentally friendly methods of reusing and recycling. Throughout the village, ornaments and artifacts that once graced mansion houses are put to good use – how inventive to use an old fireplace as a doorway or old balcony panels as decorative features throughout the site (the turquoise mermaid panel seen in the first picture above was salvaged from the old Sailor’s Home in Liverpool)
The view from the art deco hotel
The other interesting thing about Clough was his apparent enthusiasm for his project – he also cut a dashing figure in his waistcoats, britches and bright yellow knee length socks. What can’t be underestimated is his stance on the environmental issues and new town planning that was needed post war. His views on the greenbelt and environmentally friendly architecture led to a knighthood in 1971. But is he a project manager? He had the vision – he provided the archirectural planning – and he managed the implementation. Wouldn’t life be simplier for all project managers if you could take control of the entire project from vision through to benefits realised 50 years later? Maybe that is the difference when managing a project which becomes your life so for me he’s certainly a project manager pioneer – a bold vision, beautifully executed with Portmeirion and a must-see place to visit.
