Tributes paid to Stansfield Smith

He inspired and led a younger generation of architects there, some of whom followed him to Hampshire. Colin was a truly great man, with a wry smile and self-deprecating sense of humour; the fact that he was also a Cambridge Blue and Lancashire County cricketer gave an enviable depth to his remarkable achievements as an architect.

Anthony Willats
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I was privileged to be recruited to the Hampshire office in 1986 after Colin took the trouble to spend a Saturday in East Sussex, touring my work in that county. He had the breadth of cultural interest, understanding and social commitment of Robert Matthew and Leslie Martin, and the generosity to commission from former members of his staff.

Kate Macintosh
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Very sad news. I was lucky enough to be tutored by Colin at Portsmouth School of Architecture, where he was a true master. While the 1980s saw many local authorities selling off their property departments to the highest bidder, Sir Colin and his team at Hampshire showed there was another way. They created some truly inspirational buildings where excellence in design and quality of light and space were the key drivers — not profit. The fact that these projects were often realised through relatively modest budgets is testament to the skills of Sir Colin as an architect.

Michael Gove, take note: a visionary, award-winning architect who designed inspirational schools that represented excellent value for money. And a delightful man too.

Paul Jolly
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Colin and I became friends when we worked together at the University of Portsmouth from 1993 to 2006. I was a young, unknown, female head of school and he became a loyal and supportive professor of design. He designed us a very special school in which to teach architecture and, together with my late husband, Jay Potts, we worked together to create new “shapes” of architectural education that would enhance the teaching of the subject in a climate of economic change. (What is new?)

The special thing that Colin contributed was optimism, fun and happiness. He made a special contribution to architectural education, partly by a building but also because he listened and responded with great thought to every (sometimes crazy) opinion a student put forward. He could transport himself to when he was their age and would treat any opinion with respect. It takes a humble and great man to do that. I know that all students at Portsmouth will always carry that with them, as will I and my family. We will all miss his loyalty, support and passion.

Wendy Potts
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