Wells Coates

Wells Wintemute Coates, architect, designer, writer (b at Tokyo, Japan 17 Dec 1895; d at Vancouver 17 June 1958). Tutored in Japan, he studied engineering at UBC and in London, Eng, where he lived for most of his life. Coates worked there as a journalist before setting up a design practice in 1928. He invented the standard tubular D-handle for furniture, and his industrial design commissions included mass-produced furniture and electrical appliances. He produced a small number of buildings, interiors and exhibition stands in a plain modern style. Founder of the Modern Architecture Research Group, Coates published numerous essays promoting modern design. During WWII, he was awarded an OBE for service co-ordinating British fighter aircraft development. In 1955 he left Britain and taught at Harvard and then returned to Vancouver where he worked as a design consultant.