Raymond McGrath (1903-1977)

Raymond McGrath (1903-1977). An Australian born architect and interior designer. Educated at the Universities of Sydney where he trained under Professor Leslie Wilkinson. After graduating in 1926 he moved to England and studied at the University of Cambridge. Mansfield Forbes asked McGrath to redecorate Finella, a Victorian villa in Cambridge which he did in his modernist style, with the use of glass and other materials such as copper plymax and aluminium.

In 1930 he set up practice in London and his first commission was to design the studios of Broadcasting House where he was joined by Wells Coates, Edward Maufe and Serge Chermayeff. He executed various commercial works and also began working on the interiors of the New Atalanta class of aeroplanes for Imperial Airways.

McGrath wrote for the Architectural Review in the 1930's and in 1937 he published his own book titled "Glass in Architecture and Decoration" he had a particular interest in glass. His etched glass doors were installed at RIBA headquarters Portland Place London. In the 1950's he began work on the restoration of Dublin Castle and embarked on a new venture of designing carpets.

McGrath died in 1977 in Dublin.