P001423 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

All key entry types: Awards; Concepts; Corporate Bodies (Organisations); Cultural Artefacts; People; etc

These key entries are listed separately below with other indexes and lists.

 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy; Ken McInnes updated 2026-05-13 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P001423b.htm person Cowan Henry Jacob AO HonFRAIA AACR2 21 August 1919 15 July 2007 Place of Birth Glogau, Silesia, Germany Place of Death Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Architectural scientist Structural engineer Jack Cowan was the world's first Professor of Architectural Science, at University of Sydney from 1953 to 1984, where he developed the first undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Architectural Science, and established the first architectural research unit in Australia. In 1958 he founded the Architectural Science Review, an international refereed journal which he edited for 25 years. He authored twenty seven books, including one in its fifth edition. He was also editor of the 25 volumes of the Elsevier Architectural Science Series, wrote more than three hundred contributions to books and magazines, and thousands of book reviews. In 1979 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects, in 1983 appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), and in 1987 the first ever Honorary Doctor of Architecture of the University of Sydney. His early research into torsion in reinforced concrete, led to changes to concrete design practices in Australia, that led to changes in world-wide practices.

Some of his major books include:
* "Design of reinforced concrete", 1963, 1968, 1976, 1982, (with Peter R Smith) 2009;
* "An historical outline of architectural science", 1966;
* "Models in architecture", (with Richard W Muncey) 1968;
* "Architectural structures : an introduction to structural mechanics", 1971, 1975, 1976, 1980;
* "Dictionary of architectural science", 1973, 1976;
* "Dictionary of architectural and building technology", 1986;
* "The master builders : a history of structural and environmental design from ancient Egypt to the nineteenth century", 1977;
* "Science and Building", 1978;
* "Structural systems", 1980;
* "The world's greatest buildings : masterpieces of architecture & engineering", 2000.

[Also see Published resources]

1939 1939 Education - Bachelor of Science (Civil and Mechanical engineering), University of Manchester, England 1940 1940 Education - Master of Science, University of Manchester, England 1940 1941 Life event - Interned as an 'alien', set to Canada 1941 1945 Career position - Pioneer Corps, British Army, United Kingdom 1946 1948 Career position - Assistant Lecturer, Buildings, University of Cardiff, Wales 1948 1953 Career position - Lecturer, Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Sheffield, England 1952 1952 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Sheffield - Torsion in concrete 1953 1953 Life event - Migrated to Australia 1953 1984 Career event - Foundation Professor, Architectural Science, University of Sydney 1954 1954 Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1956 1956 Award - R W Chapman Medal, Institution of Engineers Australia 1958 1983 Career event - Founder, editor Architectural Science Review 1960 1960 Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia 1962 1962 Career position - Visiting Professor of Architecture, Cornell University, New York 1963 1963 Education - Doctor of Engineering (DEng), University of Sheffield 13 Sep 1968 13 Sep 1968 Career event - Fellow (FIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Members were designated Fellows on this date.] 1969 1970 Career position - National President, Building Science Forum Australia 1973 1973 Career position - Visiting Professor of Architecture, Kumasi Technical University, Ghana 1976 1976 Career position - Visiting Professor of Architecture, Trabzon University, Turkey 1979 1979 Award - Honorary Fellow, Royal Australian Institute of Architects (HonFRAIA) 1983 1983 Award - Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) - In recognition of service to architectural science 1984 1984 Education - Master of Architecture, University of Sydney 1984 1984 Education - Emeritus Professor, Architectural Science, University of Sydney c. 1986 c. 2006 Career position - Member, Engineering Heritage Committee, Sydney Division, Institution of Engineers Australia 1987 1987 Award - Doctor of Architecture, honoris causa, University of Sydney 1995 1995 Award - Monash medal, Institution of Engineers Australia 1998 1998 Award - Harnett medal, Royal Society of Arts 2006 2006 Award - Fellow, Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats (CTBUH Fellow) The University of Sydney (1850 - )

Foundation Professor in Architectural Science, 1954 - 1984

 John Monash Medal, Engineering Heritage Australia (1976 - )

Awarded the Medal 1995, by the General College Board, for his paper "A history of structural concrete and its adoption in Australia as a major building material", Multi-Disciplinary Engineering Transactions, The Institution of Engineers, Australia, Vol. GE19 No.2 December 1995, pp. 83 - 96.

 R. W. Chapman Medal, Institution of Engineers, Australia (1935 - )

Awarded the Medal 1956, for the paper "Torsion in reinforced and prestressed concrete beams", Journal of the Institution of Engineers Australia, vol.28, no.9, Sep 1956, pp.235-240.

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Cowan, Henry J (1919-)

Trove

 'Cowan, Henry Jacob (Jack)', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Cowan, Henry Jacob (Jack) Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource Section: Engineering Heritage : Biographies Engineering Heritage : Biographies Engineering Heritage Australia 2024 Engineering Heritage Australia : wiki website Report: Thirty-eighth Annual Report [1957] Institution of Engineers Australia Thirty-eighth Annual Report [1957] 1958 Book: A contradiction in terms : the autobiography of Henry J. Cowan, Foundation Professor of Architectural Science, University of Sydney. Cowan, Henry J. (Henry Jacob) A contradiction in terms : the autobiography of Henry J. Cowan, Foundation Professor of Architectural Science, University of Sydney. Sydney Department of Architectural and Design Science, University of Sydney : Hermitage Press 1993 Journal Article: Structural design by observation of failures: how the Gothic master masons determined the dimensions of their structures Cowan, Henry J. Structural design by observation of failures: how the Gothic master masons determined the dimensions of their structures 1992 Architectural Science Review 35 2 51-58 Book Section: Chapter 11: City buildings Cowan, Henry J Chapter 11: City buildings Crows Nest, New South Wales Engineers Australia 1989 Sydney: from settlement to city: an engineering history of Sydney Don Fraser 219-240 Journal Article: Some applications of the use of Direct Model Analysis in the design of architectural structures Cowan, H. J. Some applications of the use of Direct Model Analysis in the design of architectural structures 1961 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 33 7-8 259-267 Journal Article: Torsion in reinforced and prestressed concrete beams Cowan, Henry Jacob Torsion in reinforced and prestressed concrete beams 1956 Journal of the Institution of Engineers, Australia 28 9 235-240 Journal Article: Development of Reinforced Concrete Construction in New Zealand and Australia. Cowan, Henry J. Development of Reinforced Concrete Construction in New Zealand and Australia. 1995 Transactions of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand: General Engineering 22 1 1-8 Journal Article: A history of structural concrete and its adoption in Australia as a major building material Cowan, H. J. A history of structural concrete and its adoption in Australia as a major building material 1995 Transactions of The Institution of Engineers, Australia: Multi-Disciplinary Engineering GE19 2 83-96 Book: From Wattle and Daub to Concrete and Steel: the Engineering Heritage of Australia's Buildings Cowan, Henry J. From Wattle and Daub to Concrete and Steel: the Engineering Heritage of Australia's Buildings Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1998 Journal Article: Henry Jacob (Jack) Cowan AO Clarke, Michael Henry Jacob (Jack) Cowan AO 2008 Newsletter of Engineering Heritage Australia 20 May 2008 3-4 Newspaper Article: From refugee to the dawn of a new science [Obituary : Jack Cowan] Julian, Warren From refugee to the dawn of a new science [Obituary : Jack Cowan] 2007 Sydney Morning Herald Article: Henry Cowan 1919-2007- A pioneer of architectural science Julian, Warren Henry Cowan 1919-2007- A pioneer of architectural science University of Sydney Henry Jacob Cowan - Records Private hands (Cowan, H.J.) Henry Jacob Cowan - Records 1948 - 1986 Correspondence 1948-86 (7 boxes); publications records 1952-86 (18 volumes). 10 boxes