In 1965 G&S Allgood launched Modric, the first fully coordinated range of architectural ironmongery and hardware. Conceived by Knud Holscher and Alan Tye, the unifying design of this “modular metric” range sprang from the principles of the Bauhaus style, which advocated the expression of an object’s function through its form, without the need for ornamentation. Modric became almost instantly successful, and remains a benchmark for harmonious design and quality to this day.

From the Design Journal:

'Modric' architectural Ironmongery Designers: Knud Holscher and Alan Tye. Commissioned by G. & S. Allgood Ltd. A range of 150 pieces including various handles, knobs, plates, door stops, casement fasteners, bolts, ventilators, etc. It is made in silver anodised aluminium, with stainless steel pins and fixing screws and nylon bushes. Constant formula aluminium gives the same finish whether extruded, die-cast or stamped. Flat plates are machine polished; the remainder are hand polished. Prices: from 1s 6d for a back plate for flat cupboard knob to £7 9s 6d for large letterplate with gravity flap. A small selection from the range is shown here.

One of the first co-ordinated ranges of architectural ironmongery, Modric began as a basic square plate, from which all the individual items have been derived. The 3 inch module was chosen because it matched standards for locks and electrical fittings and "looked and felt right". Prototypes were made in black bronze (later dropped in favour of anodised aluminium because of its better wearing qualities, neutral colour and ease of production of the latter). But at this stage Modric was turned down as being too expensive for production.

A year later, in March 1965, Modric was shown to the merchandising company of G. & S. Allgood Ltd. Allgood's took it up immediately and nine months later, Modric was on display at the International Building Exhibition, the designers having fully developed the essential pieces in the range and a manufacturer- Walter Rowley Ltd of Birmingham - having been found to make it. So confident is Allgood's of Modric's future

The individual items shown here are, left group, single toilet roll holder; two three-inch pull handles: right group, top to bottom, cylinder pull, and on the same row, shaped lever handle on back plate, casement stay; safety handle on back plate; three nine-inch pull handles; two pulls and one latch knob; insert escutcheon. that it has guaranteed prices until 1970.

Modric has many advantages. Because the comprehensive range is co-ordinated and maintains a high design standard throughout, an architect can simply specify its use throughout a building and thus save himself the chore of searching through numerous catalogues. The range has great flexibility: for instance, one kind of knob can be attached to a spindle on one side of a door and a different kind of knob on the other. Close attention has been paid to detail: Holscher and Tye themselves work on any 'specials' which may be needed, and a standard has been laid down for engraving. The catalogue is outstanding for its clarity of presentation. The range won joint second prize in the recent Aluminium Design Awards sponsored by the British Aluminium Co Ltd and the Council of Industrial Design. The company Allgood's joint managing directors, Derrick Carter-Clout (in charge of sales) and Paul Shirville (responsible for organisation and purchasing, and currently chairman of the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers) had no experience of architectural ironmongery when they took over the firm in 1948, when both were 27 years old. Their policy of bringing in new ideas, recruiting young staff (the oldest of their 80 or so employees is 52), and concentrating on high quality products has paid off, annual turnover having increased from £20,000 to about £750,000. The designers The partnership of Holscher and Tye now operates in London and Copenhagen. The two architects won a Design Centre Award last year for the Meridian One sanitary suite.

Knud Holscher freelance designer
Alan Tye freelance designer
Paul Shirville joint managing director G. & S. Allgood Ltd

Design Journal, No.209, The Duke of Edinburgh's Prize for Elegant Design and the Design Council Awards 1966, May 1966. pp.28-57.