Son of Edwin England Sant Fournier and Ina Desain, Richard studied at St. Edward's College, and later graduated in Architecture at the University of Malta.^[1] He then continued his studies in Italy at the Polytechnic University of Milan and also worked as a student-architect in the studio of the Italian architect-designer in Gio Ponti in 1960-62.^[2]

He is also a sculptor, photographer, poet, artist, author of a number of books and voices a number of podcasts.^{[citation needed]} He is a Visiting Professor at the University of Malta, having acted as Dean of the Faculty of Architecture between 1987 and 1989.^{[citation needed]} He is also an Hon. Fellow at the University of Bath in the UK, and an Academician and Vice-President of the International Academy of Architecture.^{[citation needed]}

England has lectured and exhibited his work in North and South America, the UK, Europe, the Middle and as far East as Russia.^{[citation needed]} During the 1970s he worked in Saudi Arabia while in the early 80s he was appointed, together with Robert Venturi, Arup Associates, Arthur Erickson, Sheppard Robson and Ricardo Bofill as a consultant to the Mayoralty of Baghdad, Iraq to work on the rehabilitation of the city under the Mayoralty's architect Rifat Chadirji.^[3]

His philosophy centers on an expression referred to by Charles Knevitt as "a valid, contemporary regionalism",^[4] preferring a process of evolution as opposed to revolution, “a new leaf as opposed to a new tree”, believing that architecture should be appropriate to both place and time and that it should evoke the spirit of the place.^{[citation needed]}

Richard England has lectured and worked in the capacity of Architectural Consultant to governmental and private institutions in the following countries: US, UK, Yugoslavia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Italy, Argentina, Poland, Bulgaria, Russia, Kazakhstan and his native Malta.^{[citation needed]}

He married Myriam Borg Manduca in 1962 and has one daughter and one son.^[5]

Critical response edit

“Richard England's restless mind and nervous energy find expression in so many different artistic fields that it leaves one breathless”.^[6]

“His architecture intense, sunny, rich in pure forms, bejewelled with bright colours …works designed with imagination, ingenuity and indisputable, creative passion”.^[7]

“A style of his own, successfully relating to the elements of the island's tradition. Malta is fortunate to have him to lead the profession on the island”.^[8]

“The Garden of Apollo …a real coup de grace where the architect's imagination, artistic myths and cultural realities merge to provide a fitting reminder of this architect's amazing talents”.^[9]

“Richard England played an active part in building up the Malta tourist industry designing a series of resort hotels which set a new standard for the type”.^[10]

• Central Bank of Malta, Valletta, Malta, 1971
• Church of St Joseph, Manikata, Malta, 1962-1974
• A Garden for Myriam, St. Julians, Malta, 1982
• Aquasun Lido, Paceville, Malta, 1983
• Dar il-Ħanin Samaritan, Santa Venera, Malta, 1996-2014
• Ir-Razzett ta’ Sandrina, Mgarr, Malta, 1988
• Papal Stands for Pope John Paul II Malta Visit, 1990 + 2001
• Golf 4 Apartments, Belgrade, ex-Yugoslavia, 1990
• St Francis of Assisi Church and Cloister in the neighbourhood, Qawra, Malta, 1990–1996^[11]
• University of Malta extension, Malta, 1991
• Villa ‘G’, Siggiewi, Malta, 1994
• Central Bank of Malta Annexe, Valletta, Malta, 1992
• Valletta Entrance Masterplan (Project), Malta, 1994–2000
• National Arts Centre (Project), Valletta, Malta, 1997
• Millennium Chapel, Paceville, Malta, 2000
• Malta Parliament (Project), Valletta, Malta, 2002
• San Gorg Meditation Chapel, Blata L-Bajda, Malta, 2001
• Filfla Chapel (Project), Malta, 2002
• Hal Farrug Church (Project), Malta, 2004
• The Garden of Apollo, St Julians, Malta, 2007
• Various Podcasts (2011-2018)

• International Academy of Architecture Award, 1983, 1985, 1991, 2000, 2003, 2006,2009
• Commonwealth Association of Architects Regional Award, 1985, 1987
• Honoris Causa, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1985
• Gold Medal of the City of Toulouse, 1985
• International Committee of Architectural Critics (CICA) Silver Medal, 1987
• Honoris Causa, Institute of Advance Studies, University of New York, US, 1987
• Georgia Biennale Laureate Prize, 1988
• IFRAA – American Institute of Architects, Award for Religious Architecture, 1991
• Officer of the Order of Merit, Malta, 1993
• Honoris Causa, University of the Republic of Georgia, 1995
• International Prize Third Architectural Biennal, Costa Rica, 1996
• Gold Medal of the Belgrade Architectural Triennial, 1999
• Honorary Fellowship - American Institute of Architects, 1999
• Honoris Causa, University of Sofia, Bulgaria, 2003
• International Academy of Architecture Grand Prix, 2006
• Honoris Causa, University Spiru Haret, Romania, 2010
• Maltese Podcast of the Year, Malta, 2013

Books edit

• Walls of Malta, M.R.S.M., Malta, 1973.
• White is White, M.R.S.M., Malta, 1973.
• Contemporary Art in Malta, editor and contributor, A Malta Art Festival Publication, Malta, 1974.
• Carrier-Citadel Metamorphosis, M.R.S.M., Malta, 1980.
• Island: A poem for seeing, M.R.S.M., Malta, 1980.
• Uncaged Reflections, selected writings 1965 - 80, M.R.S.M., Malta, 1980.
• In Search of Silent Spaces, M.R.S.M., Malta, 1983.
• Octaves of Reflection, with Charles Camilleri, A John Arthur Studio Publication, London, 1987.
• Eye to I, selected poems, Said International, Malta, 1994.
• Mdina. Citadel of Memory, with Conrad Thake, Atlantis Publications, Malta, 1995.
• FRAXIONS, LIBRiA, Italy, 1995.
• Sacri Luoghi, LIBRiA, Italy, 1997.
• Gozo. Island of Oblivion LIBRiA, Italy. 1997.
• Scripta Mediterranea, Richard England Poet of Malta and the Middle Sea, Brian Dendle, Canadian Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Canada, 1997.
• Transfigurations - Places of Prayer, with Linda Schubert, LIBRiA, Italy. 2000.
• Gabriel Caruana, A Bank of Valletta Exhibition, catalogue, Malta. 2001
• Gabriel Caruana, Ceramics LIBRiA, Italy. 2002
• Viaggio In Italia, schizzi e disegni, Introduzione Paolo Portoghesi, LIBRiA, Italy. 2002
• The Palette, John Borg Manduca, LIBRiA, Italy. 2004.
• Between Sky + Earth, Norbert Attard, Heritage Malta, Malta. 2007.

Poetry edit

• Sanctuaries, Selected poems, LIBRiA, Italy. 2006.
• Clavichords, Selected poems, LIBRiA, Italy. 2009.
• Richard England Poems set to music on CD by Charles Camilleri:
• Standing Stones – Ann Manly Soprano, DIAL 105, 1991
• This Holy Earth – Claire Massa Mezzo Soprano, THE 011, 2007

Articles edit

• From Vernacular to Modern, Architecture Review, Architectural Press, London, July 1969.
• Forms borrowed from the summer of my childhood, A+U 10, Japan, 1984.
• Various quotations, Perspectives, Charles Knevitt, Lund Humphries, London, 1986.
• The Spirit of Place, Transactions 9, Vol 5.1, RIBA Publications, London, 1986.
• The Spirit of Place, Sharing the Earth, The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland, 1995.
• Building in Harmony with Nature, Econea, L’Arca 152, Milan, Italy, 2000.
• Luis Barragan, El Poeta del Silencio, Cuadernos de Arquitectura 6, El Legado de Luis Barragan, Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico, 2002.
• L’Architettura del Mediterraneo: Conservazione Transformazione, Innovazione, L’Architettura del Mediterraneo, Gangemi, Italy, 2003.
• Space, Time, Genealogy, Malta Before History, Miranda Publishers, Malta, 2004.
• Transfiguration, St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity Malta, Libria, Italy, 2005.
• Landscape No. 27, Jordan, 2009.
• The Making of the Millennium Chapel, Going Your Way, Progress Press, Malta, 2010.
• Deir El Bahri Memorial, Senmut & Hatshepsut, L’Arca 254, Milan, Italy, 2010.
• Limestone Heritage, L’Arca 257, Milan, Italy, 2010.

Books edit

• Richard England, Architect in Malta, Emile Henvaux. Editions de la Libraire Encyclopedique, Belgium, 1969.
• Cards on the Table: Concept Drawings by Richard England, Maelee Thomson Foster, M.R.S.M., Malta. 1980. Second edition, revised and enlarged, 1983.
• Manikata: The Making of a Church, Charles Knevitt, a Manikata Church Publication, Malta, 1980. Second Edition, 1986.
• Connections: The Architecture of Richard England, Charles Knevitt, Lund Humphries, United Kingdom, 1984.
• Transformations: Richard England, 25 Years of Architecture, Chris Abel, Mid-Med Bank Limited, Malta, 1987.
• Manikata Church Malta, Chris Abel, Academy Editions, United Kingdom, 1995.
• Richard England, The Spirit of Place, l'ARCA Edizioni, Italy, 1998.
• Richard England, by Edwin Heathcote, Wiley-Academy, United Kingdom, 2002.
• Richard England Architect as Artist, Editor Dennis Sharp, Texts Manfredi Nicoletti and Mario Botta, BookART, London, 2007.
• 100 at 70 A Celebratory Album for Richard England, M.R.S.M., Malta. 2007.
• Between Shadow & Stone, Photography by Timmy Gambin, Midsea Books, Malta, 2010.

Articles edit

• Fortress, Quentin Hughes, Progress Press, Malta, 1970.
• Architecture + Society No. 6, Bulgaria, 1987.
• The A.D. 100 Architects, Architectural Design, US, 1991.
• Architettura e Spazio Sacro nella Modernita, Biennal di Venezia Catalogue, Abitare Segesta, Venice, Italy, 1992.
• L’Industria delle Costruzioni No. 248, Edil Stampa, Rome, Italy, 1992.
• Materia No. 19, Italy, 1993.
• Demetra No. 5, Sicily, 1993.
• Projeto No. 173, Brazil, 1994.
• 581 Architects in the World, Masayuki Fuchigami, Toto Shuppan, Tokyo, 1995.
• Church Builders, Edwin Heathcote + Iona Spens, Academy Editions, London, 1997.
• Europe, The Contemporary Architecture Guide, Masayuki Fuchigami, Tokyo, 1998.
• Dekorasyon No. 1, Turkey, 1998.
• Bank Buildings, Edwin Heathcote, Wiley-Academy, London, 2000.
• 20th Century Architecture – A Visual History, Dennis Sharp, Images, Australia, 2002.
• Contro Spazio No. 5, Italy, 2002.
• Malta, War and Peace, Conrad Thake + Quentin Hughes, Midsea Books, Malta, 2005.
• World Architects 51, Masayuki Fuchigami, Art Design Publishing, Japan, 2007.
• Concrete Quarterly, Dennis Sharp, London, 2008.
• ADA No. 8, Pakistan, 2009.
• Who's Who, Europa Publications, London & New York, 2010.
• L’Arca Nos. 157, 207, 235, Italy.