Eden Project architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw dies

The firm founded by the Eden Project designer announced the news on Monday afternoon

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, the architect of the Eden Project in Cornwall, has died at the age of 85.

Sir Nicholas also designed the landmark Ship building in Plymouth and the glass-and-steel International Terminal at Waterloo in London which won The Royal Institute of British Architects Building of the Year Award in 1994.

The news was announced on Monday afternoon by the architecture firm Grimshaw, which he founded in 1980.

In a statement, it said he had been "a man of invention and ideas" who would be remembered for "his endless curiosity about how things are made".

Sir Nicholas was knighted in 2002 for services to architecture

"With this pragmatic creativity, Nick had an extraordinary ability to convince others that daring ideas were possible," the firm added.

Sir Nicholas was knighted in 2002 for services to architecture.

He served as president of the Royal Academy from 2004 to 2011.

In 2022, he established the Grimshaw Foundation, which aims to promote innovative design, creativity and sustainability among young people.

In Cornwall, his design of the Eden Project was constructed in a former clay pit near St Austell and opened in 2001.

The visitor attraction and environmental charity's huge domes, called biomes, were built to recreate some of Earth's different climates, as well house thousands of different plant species.

Sir Nicholas designed the the glass-and-steel International Terminal at Waterloo in London

The Eden Project team said they "mourn Sir Nicholas' passing and celebrate his genius".

They said: "He understood the power to empower people to embrace ideas gifted to us by nature.

"His creative vision for Eden was inspired by a handful of soap bubbles as biomes, to inspire the team to create the most elegant solution to address design challenges.

"They fit so well in the landscape that it is sometimes hard to know where landscape stops and buildings start."

"Without him there would be no Eden Project biomes," they added.

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw designed The Ship building in Derriford, Plymouth, as the headquarters of the Western Morning News

The architect also designed the glass and steel Ship building at Derriford, Plymouth, which was the former offices of The Herald and Western Morning News.

The building was recommended for listing at Grade II* by Historic England in April 2015.

It is now used for offices and an activity centre.

The firm's chairman said Sir Grimshaw's architecture was always about structure, craft and purpose

Chairman at Grimshaw Andrew Whalley said: "From the very first day I arrived at the practice in 1986, I felt the warmth and generosity of Nick's leadership.

"The lack of hierarchy in the studio, shaped by his amiable and open personality, was its true strength.

"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'."

The firm gave its condolences to Sir Nicholas' family, his wife Lady Lavinia and their children Chloe and Isabel.