The story of John Madin, architect

John Madin was born in Moseley, Birmingham, in 1924.

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He started his company in 1962, and created much of the radical architecture that characterised post-war Birmingham. His most famous building is one which will be demolished in early 2015 – Birmingham's colossal Central Library.

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Since it was built, it has divided opinion. Council officials, local media and the Prince of Wales, all too happily criticised it for being 'a monstrosity'. Prince Wales even suggested it looked like somewhere you would burn books, rather than read them. But what does he know, eh?

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Look at this beautiful shot of the interior space of the library, back when it was first built. What a sense of awe it creates!

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Madin also designed the BBC's Pebble Mill building – now demolished. 'Pebble Mill At One' was a show I remember from my childhood quite clearly.

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Vocal campaign groups called for Madin's library to be saved, but to no avail. Twitter was a particularly good way of reminding people why the building was important.

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