The British architect and masterplanner Sir Terry Farrell has died aged 87.
His architectural practice, Farrells, posted a statement saying that Farrell was "frequently called a maverick, radical and a non-conformist which he relished", adding that he had often gone against the architectural establishment.
He founded the practice, Terry Farrell & Partners, in 1980, and had early success as a forerunner in the postmodern movement with buildings such as the TVAM building, now Channel 5's headquarters in Camden.
Farrells said his commitment to urbanism led him to develop three strands of design thinking – major new build projects like Charing Cross and Vauxhall Cross, the latter the new HQ for M16 which later became famous in the Bond films; conservation-led regeneration projects such as Comyn Ching Triangle and the conversion of the Grade I -listed Royal Institution; and masterplanning and urban visioning based on urban renewal and post-industrial regeneration of inner cities. Major masterplanning projects he worked up included for Wood Wharf in London's Docklands and Earls Court.
For a CoStar News piece on Farrell's belief that "boomtime" masterplans needed to be revised and made more practical from 2012, click here.
He was awarded a CBE in 1996 and knighted in 2001. He was cited in the 2013 London Planning Awards as making the greatest contribution to planning and development over the previous 10 years. In 2017 he was awarded the rare honour of the Royal Town Planning Institute’s Gold Medal in recognition of his outstanding achievements as one of the world’s most influential architects, planners and urban designers. In 2016 he was made an Honorary Freeman of Newcastle.
In a Linkedin post his son Max wrote: "I will always remember him as an incredible Dad full of warmth, humour, encouragement & love. He was also a pioneer of architecture & urban design, who reshaped the way we think about cities and the places we live in. I’m proud to be his son and to have worked alongside him for many years."
Farrell was born on a council estate in Manchester before moving to Newcastle where he studied architecture. He won a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania where his tutors were Louis Kahn and Bob Venturi, two leading 20th Century architects.
Other buildings he worked on are the Home Office, The Deep in Hull and Newcastle Quayside. Internationally there were landmarks including Beijing South Station, Incheon Airport in Korea and KK100 in Shenzhen, China – the tallest building in the world designed by a British architect.
His first job was for London County Council where he designed the Blackwall Tunnel ventilation buildings. Other projects including Jencks Cosmic House and Henley Royal Regatta headquarters.