▁born ▁in ▁B ally s ill an , ▁B elf ast . ▁ ▁He ▁studied ▁at ▁The ▁Royal ▁School ▁D ung annon , ▁County ▁T yr one , ▁and ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁Academy , ▁W ool wich . ▁ ▁He ▁obtained ▁a ▁commission ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers , ▁and ▁served ▁with ▁distinction ▁in ▁B erm uda ▁and ▁Paris . ▁ ▁On ▁his ▁return ▁to ▁England , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁architect ▁and ▁engineer ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁several ▁government ▁buildings . ▁ ▁Among ▁his ▁projects ▁were ▁the ▁Prince ▁Cons ort ' s ▁Library ▁in ▁Ald ers hot , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Albert ▁Hall ▁and ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁Victoria ▁and ▁Albert ▁Museum ▁in ▁London , ▁the ▁National ▁Museum ▁of ▁Scotland ▁in ▁Edinburgh , ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Gallery ▁of ▁Ireland ▁in ▁Dublin . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁responsible ▁for ▁planning ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁International ▁Ex hib ition ▁in ▁London . ▁The ▁International ▁Ex hib ition ▁building ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁' a ▁w retch ed ▁shed ' ▁by ▁The ▁Art ▁Journal ; ▁The ▁Cry stal ▁Palace ▁at ▁the ▁Great ▁Ex hib ition ▁of ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁being ▁a ▁hard ▁act ▁to ▁follow . ▁Parliament ▁decl ined ▁the ▁Government ' s ▁proposal ▁to ▁purchase ▁the ▁building ; ▁the ▁materials ▁were ▁sold ▁and ▁used ▁for ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁Alex andra ▁Palace . ▁ ▁Before ▁his ▁sudden ▁death ▁from ▁a ▁burst ▁blood ▁vessel , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁competition ▁for ▁the ▁design ▁of ▁the ▁Natural ▁History ▁Museum , ▁although ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁live ▁to ▁see