Paul Finch is deputy chairman of the UK Design Council, and outgoing chairman of Design Council Cabe (its architecture and built environment wing). He is programme director of the World Architecture Festival, and editorial director of the Architectural Review and Architects’ Journal.
Born London, 1949. History degree, Selwyn College, Cambridge. Deputy editor, Estates Times, 1976-1983. Editor, Building Design, 1983-94. Editor, Architects’ Journal, 1994-1999. Editor, The Architectural Review 2005-2009.
A commissioner at the Commission for Architecture & the Built Environment and deputy chair, 1999-2005; chair 2009-2011. Design Review Committee chair 1999-2004 – reviews included Wembely Stadium (Foster & Partners), numerous other football stadium projects, a racecourse, swimming pools, cricket grounds and stands; gold course clubhouses.
Olympic Park Design Review chair 2005-2012 (masterplan, landscape design, permanent and temporary buildings and sponsor pavilions. Member, Olympic Village review panel 2005-2012; member, Stratford City review panel 2005-2012.
Clients for this activity comprised the Olympic Delivery Authority, the London Organizing Committ for the Olympic Games (Locog); Newham Borough Council and Westfield. The review panel also reported to the Olympics minister and liaised with design staff at the Greater London Authority.
Architect selection panels: £250 million Mayfair retail/residential landmark (architect and client currently confidential); South Bank mixed office and healthcare centre for ITV and Coin Street Communitgy builders (final decision pending); British Museum conservator wing (Rogers Stirk harbour); Jubilee Gardens renewal, for South Bank Employers Group (West 8); Jewish community centre, Finchley Road (Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands); Elizabeth House office and retail development, Waterloo, for Stuart Lipton and London & Regional properties (David Chipperfield); Commonwealth Institute residential and cultural project for Stuart Lipton/Chelsfield (OMA); Royal Naval College new wing, Greenwish, for trustees (Henning Larsen). Confidential West End major hotel retrofit project (Hopkins Architects).
Joint editor, Planning in London since 1992. Honorary FRIBA 1994; honorary doctorate, University of Westminster, 2004; honorary fellowship, University College London, 2006; OBE for services to architecture 2002.