insideKENT Magazine Issue 28 - July 2014 | Page 18

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT

THE INSPIRATIONAL

Nucleus Arts

Nucleus Arts has spent the past few months looking at the legacy left by its founder, the late Hilary Halpern.
This culminates in late July with a special exhibition to showcase just what he meant to the community.

Hilary Halpern was born on 31st May 1928 in Chatham, Kent. After attending
Rochester Math School, Hilary was evacuated to Wales during WW2. As
a young man, Hilary did his national service in the airborne forces in the
Middle East during the immediate post-war period.
After leaving the army, Hilary studied architecture and town planning
at Leeds, where he met and married Marie. He first started his practices
in the Medway towns, but as the business grew, he set up offices in London
and later, internationally. Eventually, he had formed offices in more than
20 countries, including France, Israel, and the USA.
The practice was involved in cutting-edge developments across the
UK, including revolutionary designs for shopping centres and supermarkets.
In London, his business became a leading specialist in redeveloping
landmark buildings designed to blend into the cityscape.
Following his retirement in the 90s, Hilary returned to his first passion
– sculpture. He funded a charity, the Halpern