Vale Nicholas Grimshaw

Words from Grimshaw.

It is with deep sadness that the partners and practice of Grimshaw acknowledge the death of our founder, Sir Nicholas Grimshaw. 

Nick was a man of invention and ideas and will be remembered for his endless curiosity about how things are made, and his commitment to the craft of architecture and building. With this pragmatic creativity, Nick had an extraordinary ability to convince others that daring ideas were possible. 

Nick founded the practice in 1980 with this spirit of making and a commitment to the process of architecture at its heart and kick-started what became a 40-year exploration of sustainability. The International Terminal at Waterloo in London, the British Pavilion for the Seville Expo 1992, and the Eden Project in Cornwall were all turning points for the practice as well as the profession of architecture. They merged the distinction between architecture and structure with sustainable, climate-responsive design – values that remain deep within the Grimshaw practice today.

“From the very first day I arrived at the practice in 1986, I felt the warmth and generosity of Nick’s leadership,” says Andrew Whalley, Chairman at Grimshaw. “The lack of hierarchy in the studio, shaped by his amiable and open personality, was its true strength. It created a collegiate spirit, a place where people genuinely enjoyed working together, supporting one another and finding the tenacity to deliver some of the most complex buildings. His architecture was never about surface or fashion, but always about structure, craft and purpose – about creating buildings that endure because they are both useful and uplifting and, in Nick’s words, ‘bring some kind of joy.'” 

Nick was knighted in 2002 for his services to architecture, served as President of the Royal Academy from 2004 to 2011, and was awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2019. This recognition and the responsibilities Nick took seriously: he was an incredibly generous visionary and collaborator, who attracted like-minded souls throughout his life. In 2022, he established the Grimshaw Foundation, which is a logical extension of his passion for creativity and its inherent power to unlock opportunities. In the past three years, the Foundation has supported over 500 under-represented young people to develop practical skills, confidence and curiosity, and to see creative careers as realistic and achievable: an enduring legacy. 

Nick lived with his wife, Lady Lavinia, and was a proud father of Chloe and Isabel. They were all very much part of his professional life, and our condolences are with his family today. 

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