Interview with David Sayers

David Sayers was born in Surrey, England in 1931. Describes how his father was an interior designer and his mother was a draughtswoman. Mentions the encouragement of his art teacher and sponsorship to the Architectural Association School of Architecture. Talks about visiting lecturers including Frank Lloyd Wright. Discusses working for a New Zealand architect in England, Reg Uren, his influence and suggestion that David Sayers work in New Zealand. Mentions his marriage in 1953. Mentions that Reg Uren later returned to live in New Zealand.

Describes coming to New Zealand and being met in Wellington by Public Works Department architects Jack Wight and Frank Turner. Mentions Jock Beere and Gordon Wilson. Recalls the `Tomato House', a `temporary' World War I building still used by the Ministry of Works in the 1960s. Describes living at Rongotai until the construction of the airport. Talks about going to Hamilton to work for Frank Gillman, previously in business with his father E.E. Gillman, and then in partnership with Doug Angus and Paul Marks. Describes the growth of the firm, as the result of work on the Tauranga Hospital and for the Waikato Hospital Board, which became Gillman, Garry, Clapp and Sayers on amalgamation with Peter (Ian) Garry and Rex Clapp. Mentions work for the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company. Comments on the New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) fixed fee structure. Mentions his role in developing a computerised coding system for contract documentation.

Discusses the impact of the university on the town of Hamilton and a seminar on the development of the city. Talks about work in Rarotonga in projects funded by New Zealand aid and in Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Describes a request by WHO to assist on a book on the planning of district hospitals. Mentions that the firm opened a branch in Palmerston North and later in Auckland as a result of extensive hospital work in both areas. Describes also working for Nelson, Wairau and Northland Hospital Boards. Comments on working for the Department of Health and hospital boards. Discusses current health service provision in New Zealand. Mentions work for the Waikato Polytechnic and on buildings for the kiwifruit industry. Describes going to London and hiring six architects. Comments on change in the firm as the result of rapid growth and not wanting to do management work. Mentions that there were fourteen partners in the firm which became Gillman Partners. Describes how they bought a dairy farm at Katikati. Recalls the work of Kelvin Prince who did sun frame printing for the firm.

Describes retirement between 1982 and 1984 and the amalgamation of Gillman Partners with Worleys. Discusses his involvement in the kiwifruit industry and the production of organic kiwifruit under the Biogro label. Describes the decision by the Kiwifruit Authority to ban the export of organic kiwifruit, fighting this decision and the costs involved. Describes selling the orchard to DFC and his disillusionment with the planning process. Comments on planning in terms of architecture. Describes working on his family property and writing novels and poetry.

Interviewer(s) - Fiona Corcoran

Quantity: 5 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 5 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3106.

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.