My friend William Howland, who has died aged 70 of cancer, was an architect with two careers – the first in public service with Birmingham city council and the second as an independent architect and developer.
The younger of two sons, he was born in Stretton-on-Dunsmore, near Coventry, to Arthur, a builder, and Hilda Howland, and qualified as an architect at Birmingham School of Architecture in 1968. Will joined the Birmingham City architects department in 1971 and his passion and vigorous approach were soon recognised.
His attention to detail was more than a match for the constraints of local authority housing, and a string of housing awards followed. Will was always especially proud of Belgrave Middleway Sheltered Housing in Edgbaston, which was recognised with a national award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 1987.
Will then moved into the design of new schools, where he made a lasting impact on the city of Birmingham; his Nelson Mandela community primary school was named the RIBA building of the year in 1989. Over the period of Will's career, the department became one of the most award-winning public offices in the country. With success came promotion: in 1995 Will was made head of architecture, but he never relished council politics and resigned in 1997.
He also served as an external examiner at Birmingham School of Architecture and a visiting critic at Sheffield School of Architecture. He chaired the Turn End Charitable Trust at Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, formed in 1998 to safeguard an exemplary Grade II* listed Aldington/Craig housing development of the 1960s.
William met Caroline Barnett in 1963 and they had a son, Matthew, and daughter, Florence. They separated in 2000. Later, he forged a partnership with Binky Durran that saw them living and working together in Ibiza. They designed and built their own house on a steeply sloping site near Sant Antoni. Encouraged by the success of this project, they built a second, larger house in conjunction with a local builder/developer, the Codolar house. This modernist structure commands magnificent views from a hilltop overlooking the sea.
Will was a big man, caring and competitive, and loved to combine these qualities in games of petanca – a form of boules – with friends and family.
He is survived by Binky, whom he married in 2013, Florence and Matthew.