Remembering Sir Terry Farrell CBE

Everyone at SPACE Architects is saddened to hear of the passing of Sir Terry Farrell CBE, an architect and urban designer whose ideas have influenced cities and communities across the world.

Sir Terry grew up in Gosforth, in one of the first council houses on the Grange Estate, before studying architecture at Newcastle University from 1956 to 1961. His experiences of the city, and of postwar planning that reshaped much of its landscape, helped form a lifelong belief that good design begins with understanding people, place and context. Those formative years in the North East instilled a sense of civic responsibility that remained throughout his career, along with a conviction that architecture and urban design should belong to everyone, not only those who practise it.

That belief can still be read across Newcastle. In the early 1990s, Sir Terry created the masterplan that guided the regeneration of the Quayside, transforming it into one of the city’s most recognisable destinations. He went on to deliver several significant local projects, including the Centre for Life, the Newcastle University campus masterplan and the extension to the Great North Museum. Together, these works reflect his ability to connect architecture with civic identity and create places that bring people together.

Across more than five decades in practice, Sir Terry was responsible for some of the most recognisable buildings and masterplans in the UK and internationally. His work includes Embankment Place and the Home Office Headquarters in London, The Deep in Hull, the MI6 Building on the Thames and The Peak Tower in Hong Kong, as well as major regeneration projects such as Greenwich Peninsula and Paddington Basin.

Renowned for his role in the Postmodern movement, Sir Terry’s work from this period was expressive, layered and unashamedly optimistic. The Guardian described his approach as “postmodern exuberance,” celebrating his ability to fuse classical references, cultural humour and civic meaning into contemporary design. The MI6 Building, completed in 1994, remains one of his most recognisable works, a bold, fortress-like composition that merges symbolism with function. Projects such as Embankment Place and the TV-AM studios captured his playful use of colour, form and silhouette, while in Hong Kong, The Peak Tower, with its sculptural geometry and dramatic profile, became a celebrated landmark and even appeared on local banknotes.

Far from being purely decorative, Sir Terry’s Postmodernism was grounded in intent. His architecture sought to communicate, to connect, and to reintroduce meaning and delight to the built environment at a time when modernism’s restraint was being challenged. It was this blend of curiosity and character that set his work apart and earned him recognition as one of Britain’s most influential architects of the late 20th century.

In 2018, Sir Terry donated his practice archive to Newcastle University, alongside a £1 million contribution that helped establish the Farrell Centre. Conceived as a public space for research, exhibition and debate, the Centre embodies his long-held idea of urban rooms, places where communities can explore the past, present and future of their cities together.

In 2023, SPACE, alongside Elliott Architects, delivered the Farrell Centre, creating a welcoming meeting point that encourages open conversation about architecture and urban design. The building stands as a physical expression of Sir Terry’s commitment to collaboration, learning and public engagement in the built environment. Sir Terry’s influence extended beyond the buildings he designed. Through his writing, teaching and advocacy, he championed public participation in shaping the places we live. His 2014 Farrell Review called for every town and city to have an urban room, a recommendation that has since inspired similar initiatives across the UK, from Blackburn and Cheltenham to Folkestone and Dover.

His son, Max Farrell, described him as “a Geordie at heart,” and it is perhaps in Newcastle that his legacy feels most deeply rooted. From the Quayside to the Farrell Centre, his work continues to enrich the city that first nurtured his passion for design and community.

Sir Terry Farrell will be remembered for his significant and lasting influence on architecture and urban design. His legacy endures in the city he helped shape, in the Farrell Centre that carries forward his vision, and in the continued impact of his ideas on architects and communities worldwide.