[2] As a noted stained glass designer, Joseph took his family to live next to Eric Gill and his friends at Piggotts, Speen, Buckinghamshire.
Nuttgens was brought up Roman Catholic, attending Ratcliffe College, run by Rosminian Fathers where he contracted poliomyelitis at the age of 12 and was hospitalised for two years, finally leaving hospital in 1944.
The couple had nine children, including Susie Hargreaves, the composer Sandy Nuttgens and the Green Party politician and broadcaster Peg Alexander.
[4] Robert Matthew appointed Nuttgens as the chief administrator, lecturer and assistant at the newly founded architecture department at the University of Edinburgh.
His books include The Story of Architecture, The Art of Learning: a Personal Journey, The Home Front: Housing the People (1840–1990), York... the Continuing City (illustrated by John Shannon), Leeds: The Back to Front, Inside-out, Upside-down City (1979) and The Mitchell Beazley Pocket Guide to Architecture.
The group was co-founded by Peter Hammond and included architects Peter Gilbey, Robert Maguire, Keith Murray (an ecclesiastical designer), John Newton (Burles, Newton & Partners), George Pace, Patrick Reyntiens (stained glass artist), Austin Winkley, Lance Wright, as well as Catholic priest and theologian Charles Davis.