Russell Withers architectural drawings and records

Russell John Stroud Withers (fl. 1971-1992) was born in Wellington in 1942. His family moved to Auckland when he was four and he attended Parnell Primary School and King’s College. He studied at the University of Auckland, School of Architecture and graduated with a Diploma in Architecture in 1966.

Withers joined the New Zealand Institute of Architects and gained professional registration in 1971. Between 1971 and 1979 he was in partnership with Nick Stanish who he met at Architecture School. After the partnership was dissolved in 1979, he was involved in Archangels Architects Collective in Ponsonby until 1983 and was then in sole practice.

Alongside his architectural practice he lectured at the University of Auckland from 1977 until the mid-1980s. He wrote a regular column (ca 1983-1985) in New Zealand Architect dealing with the political and social aspects of architectural practice.

In the 1980s and 1990s Withers was involved in community architecture including membership of the Ponsonby Plan group and was community consultant for the Bayview Community Centre, opened in 1992. In 1992 Withers retired from architectural practice and began a new career as a practicing therapist and trainer of counsellors in Interactive Drawing Therapy (IDT).

In 2018 Withers and Stanish received a New Zealand Institute of Architects (Auckland Branch) ‘Enduring Architecture Award’ for the Campbell Courtyard House (1972) in Freeman’s Bay.