History

Robert Powell Architect/ Planner/ Educator/ Writer/ Artist

Robert Powell is a British Architect and Town Planner. He was Professor of Architecture at Taylor's University, Malaysia, from January 2016 to March 2024. Prior to this he was Project Director and Head of Eco-Masterplanning with Llewelyn Davies Yeang (UK). He was Senior Lecturer, later Associate Professor in the School of Architecture at the National University of Singapore from 1984 to 2001. He is the author/editor of 42 books mainly, though not exclusively, on the architecture of Southeast Asia and has lectured in the USA, Japan, Australia and India. He is an artist and an occasional triathlete.

Education & Qualifications

• Born - Sheffield (UK) August 1942
• Woodhouse Grammar School Sheffield 1953-1960
• County Major Art Scholarship 1960
• Dipl Arch, School of Architecture, Durham University (Kings College - Newcastle) 1960-1966
• RIBA 1969
• BA Open University (Social Science) 1976-1979
• MRTPI 1983
• MSIP 1985
• M Arch National University of Singapore 1990
• Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society FRGS 1977
• Registered Architect UK and Registered Planner in UK and Singapore.

Other Activities

Military Service 1966 -1972 I served as an officer with 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment (44 Para Bde).

Triathlon

I took up the sport of Triathlon in 1980 and the following year competed in the UK Championships in Durham. In 1985 I competed in the World Ironman Championships in Hawaii, finishing in 13hrs 45 minutes. Two years later, in 1987, I took part in the World Short Course Championships (Olympic distance) in Fremantle, Australia. In 2008 I competed in the London Triathlon and in 2009 won the Sussex County Triathlon Championship in the 64-69 category. In 2012 I took 1st place in the London Triathlon (70-74 category) and in the Sussex County Sprint Triathlon

• 1981-82 UK Triathlon Championship
• 1984-85-86-87 Singapore Triathlon Championship
• 1985 World Ironman Championship Hawaii
• 1987 World Short Course Championship Fremantle Australia
• 2008 London Triathlon
• 2009 Sussex County Triathlon Champion (64-69 cat)
• 2009 Blenheim Palace Triathlon
• 2012 Sussex County Sprint Triathlon Champion (70-74 cat.)
• 2012 London Triathlon 1st in 70-74 category
• 2013 UK Triathlon Championships (8th in 70-74 category)
• 2015 Vitality World Triathlon London (4th in 70-74 cat)
• 2015 Sussex County Triathlon Championship (1st in 70-74 cat)
• 2017 Port Dickson International Triathlon. 70-74 Category
• 2019 Putrajaya International Triathlon, Malaysia. 1st 75 to 79
• 2022 World Triathlon Championship Series, Leeds UK, 1st 80+
• 2023 Singapore MetaSprint Triathlon 2nd in 70+ category

Cricket

• 1990 -2001 Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) Saturday XI
• 2002 -2015 Lodsworth Cricket Club West Sussex

Boxing

• 1961- 1964 Durham University Boxing Team (Captain 1964 ) Northern Universities Welterweight Champion Represented UAU v Scotland Universities Represented Northern Division ABA v Oxford University.

Lang Lauf Ski-ing

• 1983 65-kilometre Konig Ludwig Lauf - Germany

Environmental Conservation and Research

I have a life-long interest in scientific exploration and nature conservation . I am a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS) and Member of the Scientific Exploration Society (SES).

1970 Jostedal Glacier, Norway.

An expedition led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes with the objective of mapping the ablation pattern of the Briksdalbre glacier. It involved a free fall parachute descent onto the glacier from 3,000 metres. Supported by the Scientific Exploration Society.

Published as Ice fall in Norway 1974 -1975 Congo/Zaire in support of World Health Organisation (WHO) research into Onchocerciasis.

A 4000 km research journey down the Congo River in inflatable craft conducted over 5 months. Organised by the Scientific Exploration Society.

Published as In the Steps of Stanley 1979-1980 Sulawesi Tengah / Indonesia.

Draft management plan of the 200,000 ha Morowali National Park funded by the UNFAO, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Part of Operation Drake -organised by the Scientific Exploration Society.

Published as Operation Drake