Background
Colin Stansfield Smith was born in Didsbury, Manchester, and studied architecture at Cambridge University from 1953 to 1958.
Colin Stansfield Smith was born in Didsbury, Manchester, and studied architecture at Cambridge University from 1953 to 1958.
He played over 100 games of first-class cricket in the 1950s. Smith"s father was named Stansfield Smith and he played Lancashire League cricket regularly for Accrington Club in the 1920s and once in Minor Counties cricket for Cheshire in 1949. Colin Smith"s older brother, Donald, played in three first-class cricket matches for Lancashire in 1951 and 1952.
He worked in various architect"s offices, including the LCC and the Greater London Council in London.
From 1971 to 1973, he was Deputy County Architect at Cheshire County Council, under the directorship of Jack Whittle. He was awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1988, the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1991, and was knighted in 1993.
Stansfield Smith was head of Hampshire County Architects Department from 1973 to 1992. During that period, the work of his office became well known worldwide, especially for its new schools within the county.
Stansfield Smith became a Professor of at the school of architecture at the University of Portsmouth in 1992, and later Emeritus Professor.
He designed the University"s Portland building (opened in 1997) where the Faculty of and other environmental faculties are now based. As a cricketer, Smith was known as "Colin Smith" and was a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler who played all his first-class cricket between 1951 and 1958. His county cricket was played for Lancashire, who capped him in 1957, but he also appeared for Cambridge University (for whom he gained his blue) among a number of other teams.
He was selected for the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord"s in 1957.
He scored one first-class century, hitting 103 not out for Cambridge against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in June 1957. As a bowler he enjoyed some success, taking five or more wickets in an innings on nine occasions.
His career-best return was 6-35 for Cambridge versus Free Foresters at Fenner"s in June 1955.