Fred David Lebensold

Fred David Lebensold

 Fred David Lebensold, architect, theatre design consultant (b at Warsaw, Poland 1917; d at Kingston 30 July 1985). Educated in Poland, he went to London, Eng, to study at the Regent Street Polytechnic (1939). He served as a staff captain in the Royal Engineers 1943-47 and then taught design in London. Immigrating to Canada 1949, he was associate professor of architecture at McGill 1949-55. He later became a fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and an academician of the Royal Canadian Academy.

In private practice, he was a founding member of ARCOP Associates and emerged as a gifted theatre designer, responsible for the design development of many theatres, including the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver (National Competition 1st prize 1955, Massey Medal 1958); Fathers of Confederation Memorial Building, Charlottetown, 1964 (National Competition 1st prize 1962, Massey Medal 1967); PLACE DES ARTS, Montréal (Massey Medal 1968); NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE, Ottawa (Massey Medal 1970); and City Center Theatre, New York City (Bard Award 1983). Lebensold's practice also included domestic architecture, public building developments and historic building rehabilitation. He was an initiator of restoration work in Vieux (Old) Montréal.