‘A real gentleman’: built environment leaders pay tribute to Terry Farrell following death at 87

Professionals and businesses from across the built environment sector have paid tribute to Terry Farrell following the postmodern pioneer’s death at the age of 87.

Farrell, the architect behind the MI6 headquarters in Vauxhall and the former TV-am office in Camden which earned the nickname the Eggcup Building for the eggcup sculptures on its roof, was considered among the most influential British architects of the post-war period.

Farrells, the practice which he founded in 1980, celebrated him yesterday as a “maverick” who often went “against the architectural establishment”, and someone who resisted the postmodern label often applied to him.

Paying tribute, RIBA president Chris Williamson said he and his WW&P co-founder Andrew Weston were helped Farrell early in their careers.

“Very sad to hear the news about Sir Terry Farrell. He was very generous to Andrew and I when we were starting out. He asked us to work on a rail station competition in Vasteras and then his Cambourne new town,” Williamson said. 

“Always a kind, committed and enthusiastic talent - he will be missed. Our thoughts at RIBA are with his family, friends and colleagues at Farrells and elsewhere.”

Newcastle University, where Farrell studied architecture in the early 1960s, said he had “inspired generations of architects and planners”.

“From the iconic MI6 building in London to the regeneration of the Newcastle Quayside, Sir Terry’s designs consistently reflected a commitment to revitalising urban spaces and making them more vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable,” the university said.

Architectural photographer Timothy Soar, who photographed Farrell’s homes, described him as a  “pioneer of architecture and urban design, whose work reshaped the way we think about cities, neighbourhoods and the places we live in”.

“It was both a pleasure and a privilege to photograph two of Terry’s homes, explosions of colour and imagination that reflected his generosity of spirit. I will always treasure the trust he placed in my work and the joy of being in his company.

“He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy in buildings, ideas and in the lives of everyone he inspired,” Soar said.

The International Centre for Life, a medical research centre in Newcastle which Farrell designed in the late 1990s, said Farrell was a “visionary” whose innovation “shaped not only our building but also the experience we share with every visitor who walks through our doors”.

“As a youngster Terry would regularly catch a bus from the site that has become the Centre for Life and he was proud to later design our iconic building,” the centre said, adding that the architect had remained proud of his North-east roots despite his global success.

“He was a real gentleman and a pleasure to work with and his legacy lives on in the spaces he created and the inspiration they continue to spark,” the centre added.

Ballymore, the developer behind the Embassy Gardens scheme surrounding the US embassy in Nine Elms which was masterplanned by Farrell and famously features a ‘sky pool’ suspended 35m in the air, said it was “deeply saddened” by the architect’s passing.

“A postmodernist and urbanist of rare talent, Terry was a joy to work with, leaving an indelible mark on London’s skyline,” Ballymore said. 

“Though a proud northerner, his work profoundly shaped the capital – from the MI6 headquarters, the redevelopment of Charing Cross Station, and the Comyn Ching Triangle in Covent Garden, to the very streets and squares of Embassy Gardens.

“His creativity, vision, and generosity of spirit will be remembered by all who had the privilege of working with him.”

Mark Tewdwr-Jones, UCL Bartlett professor of cities and regions, judged Farrell to be a “giant of urbanism” and a “visionary for the replanning of London”.

Matthew Clay Architects said Farrell was a “non-conformist, whose playful work was as broad as it was exuberant. His creativity, boldness, and commitment to placemaking continue to inspire, and he leaves a legacy which will live on in the spaces and the cities he helped shape. Rest in peace”.