Michael and Patty Hopkins founded Hopkins architects in 1976, making a huge contribution to the profession which culminated in their receipt of the RIBA Gold medal for Architecture in 1994.

We were all deeply saddened to lose Michael earlier this year. He leaves an indelible personal and professional legacy, a portfolio of exceptional built projects and an ongoing influence on our approach to the built environment.

Here, our five Principals pay their own individual tributes.

Mike Taylor

Michael was consistently rigorous in his thinking, brilliant in his analysis and fearlessly creative in his designing. To have worked with him on so many projects was an education like no other and an absolute privilege.

The design process was always intensely focussed and the conversation that led to the buildings was about establishing a sense of place, making historic connections, putting materials together in an honest and contemporary way, and ensuring the building made immediate sense to the end user. It was a demanding and enlightening process and we all had great fun on the journey together.

Whatever the demands of the moment, Michael was always true to himself. He was enormously respected both as an architect and as a person of integrity and we will all miss him enormously.

Andy Barnett

Michael has been an inspiration and guiding force to those of us that worked with him directly, but also to the widest architectural community. Endlessly inspired by an enquiring and broad spectrum of influences, Michael could never be typecast, but rather cast his own type and in this way, our years working with him represented an adventure that was unpredictable and challenging in the most positive way. Throughout, his rigour and logic allowed us to tackle projects across the globe in a consistent manner, but considered individually in their appropriateness to place, environment and culture.

Michael unintentionally perhaps, inspired us, and will continue to do so, as someone who was as determined and focussed as he was open and engaged in his thoughts and design. We are deeply saddened to lose him, but equally committed to the success of the future practice, grounded in the manner which we have been lucky enough to inherit from him.

Henry Buxton

Michael was an immense force to work with. He always demanded the very highest standards and commitment from us all and, almost without fail, that is what he received. He imbued those around him with his constant pursuit of excellence.

Michael was also an extremely astute businessman who had a sixth sense when it came to the finances as well as the direction of his projects and their architecture.

The moment I walked through the door of Michael and Patty’s steel framed glazed office building in Marylebone I knew I had arrived somewhere special. Little did I know then that over 30 years later I would still be here, helping to guide a now enormously successful and internationally renowned architectural practice into a third generation.

We have been so fortunate to have served our apprenticeship under Michael’s expert guidance. He is never far away as hardly a day goes by when we don’t have to ask ourselves the question, “What would Michael have done?”

We will miss him.

Simon Fraser

Working with Michael was always enjoyably rigorous and uplifting. He was exacting and totally focussed and he raised the bar, pushing us all to be better.

Michael created a perfecting and positive atmosphere in the office which remains to this day, and is one of the reasons why the practice grows from strength to strength. He will always be with us in spirit.

Jim Greaves

Michael had a humanity in his approach to architecture, a natural sensibility to context and materiality. With him it was intuitive.

He taught the importance of a clear diagram and how to take a complex brief and break it down to create a clear and legible design.

For Michael, construction was equally important and he was insistent that the office maintained tight control throughout the entire building process.

He was exacting but for entirely the right reasons.

Sadly for us, we can no longer benefit from his sage advice, but the ethos and culture he established lives on.