Esmé_Gordon

Alexander Esmé Gordon (12 September 1910 – 31 May 1993) was a Scottish Modernist architect, writer, and painter who served as Secretary of the Royal Scottish Academy between 1973 and 1978.
Born in Edinburgh and educated at Edinburgh Academy and Edinburgh College of Art, Gordon worked as an assistant at Burnet, Tait, and Lorne before setting up his own practice in Edinburgh with James Robertson. During the Second World War, Gordon served in the Royal Engineers. In 1946, he formed a partnership with William Gordon Dey. Gordon worked mostly on ecclesiastical, educational, and commercial buildings: notable designs include the South of Scotland Electricity Board's George Street headquarters and Heriot-Watt University's Department of Brewing and Biochemistry as well as additions to St Giles' Cathedral and Moray House. In the latter part of his life, Gordon devoted his energies to the Royal Scottish Academy, serving as its Secretary between 1973 and 1978. Gordon was also a watercolourist, art collector, and author of books on St Giles' Cathedral, church design, and the Royal Scottish Academy.