The architecture industry has been paying tribute to historian, writer and broadcaster Gavin Stamp, who has died following a battle with prostate cancer.
Stamp was a leading voice for British architecture, the author of several important architectural history books, and the presenter of television series including Pevsner's Cities and Gavin Stamp's Orient Express.
He passed away on 30 December 2017, aged 69, prompting social-media tributes from figures including architect Sam Jacob, V&A director Tristram Hunt, RIBA president Ben Derbyshire and Architecture Foundation director Ellis Woodman.
Hunt described him as "the most gifted and perceptive chronicler, critic and champion of Britain's urban civilisation", while Woodman called him "heroic".
"His combination of passionate enthusiasm and righteous anger remains a model for any architecture writer," Woodman wrote on Twitter.
Stamp studied at Dulwich College in south London, then at Gonville and Caius College in Cambridge, completing a PhD on the career of British architect George Gilbert Scott.
RIP the heroic Gavin Stamp. His combination of passionate enthusiasm and righteous anger remains a model for any architecture writer.
— Ellis Woodman (@elliswoodman) December 30, 2017
After graduating in 1978, he returned to London to establish himself as an architecture historian and spokesperson.
He wrote the Nooks and Corners column in politic magazine Private Eye, under the pseudonym Piloti. He also authored a piece in the Spectator in 1985 celebrating the design of telephone boxes by Giles Gilbert Scott, which led to 2,500 of them being given a heritage listing.
He co-founded the Twentieth Century Society (originally called the 1930s Society), was a key figure in the Victorian Society and also worked at the RIBA Drawings Collection, where his contributions included an exhibition about war memorials from the first world war.
In 1990, he was appointed professor of architectural history at the Mackintosh School of Art at the Glasgow School of Art, where he became an influential lecturer. During this period, he lived in a house built by neoclassical architect Alexander "Greek" Thomson – so he established the Greek Thomson Society.
He authored numerous books over his lifetime, including Edwin Lutyens: Country Houses (2001), Temples of Power: Architecture of Electricity in London (1979), The Memorial to the Missing of the Somme (2006) and Anti-Ugly: Excursions in English Architecture and Design (2013).
Very sad to hear of the death of Gavin Stamp, long time friend and supporter of C20, our Chairman for many years, leader of fabulous trips, pioneering historian, inspirational campaigner and joy to be with. We will miss him
— catherine croft (@catherinecroft) December 30, 2017
Other figures that have paid tribute to Stamp on Twitter include Twentieth Century Society director Catherine Croft.
She wrote: "Very sad to hear of the death of Gavin Stamp, long time friend and supporter of C20, our chairman for many years, leader of fabulous trips, pioneering historian, inspirational campaigner and joy to be with. We will miss him."
Critic Rowan Moore also paid his respects, writing: "Gavin Stamp: passionate about the things he believed in, absolutely honest and decent, no tolerance for bullshit or politicking, a proper writer and scholar. Quietly heroic in professional and personal life. I'm dazed. Is this news for real?"
Meanwhile fellow historian Otto Saumarez Smith described Stamp's death as "a terrible thing for the world".
"I was immensely privileged to have been taught by him, and he was always supportive and generous. There is no better model for combining architectural scholarship and passionate activism," he wrote.
See more tributes below:
Gavin Stamp RIP on London, Chemotherapy and pictured as a younger man in front of the RIBA https://t.co/oWY5PbeaBE
— Ben Derbyshire PRIBA (@ben_derbyshire) December 30, 2017
@gilliandarley @IanMartin Gavin Stamp: passionate about the things he believed in, absolutely honest and decent, no tolerance for bullshit or politicking, a proper writer and scholar. Quietly heroic in professional and personal life. I'm dazed. Is this news for real?
— Rowan Moore (@RowanMoore) December 30, 2017
Very sorry to hear about the sad death of Gavin Stamp - the most gifted & perceptive chronicler, critic and champion of Britain’s urban civilization
— Tristram Hunt (@TristramHuntVA) December 31, 2017
Very sad to hear of the death of Gavin Stamp, long time friend and supporter of C20, our Chairman for many years, leader of fabulous trips, pioneering historian, inspirational campaigner and joy to be with. We will miss him
— Stuart Robertson (@crmsociety) December 31, 2017
RIP the heroic Gavin Stamp. His combination of passionate enthusiasm and righteous anger remains a model for any architecture writer.
— gillian darley (@gilliandarley) December 30, 2017
What a terrible thing for the world to have lost Gavin Stamp. I was immensely privileged to have been taught by him, & he was always supportive & generous. There is no better model for combining architectural scholarship & passionate activism.
— Otto Saumarez Smith (@OSaumarezSmith) December 31, 2017
Very sad to hear of death of Gavin Stamp, genuine champion of our heritage.
— Duncan Wilson (@HE_ChiefExec) January 2, 2018
Very sad news. I feel very lucky to have been taught back when I was an undergraduate at Glasgow #GavinStamp https://t.co/U9L1sL6iKZ
— Vincent Slevin (@VincentSlevin) January 2, 2018
Deeply saddened to hear of the death of Gavin Stamp, friend of the Victorian Society, architectural historian and hero of the conservation movement.
— The Victorian Society (@thevicsoc) December 31, 2017
2017 has finished in the worst way possible, with the deaths of one of my dearest friends, Mark Whittow, and my DPhil examiner and great inspiration, Gavin Stamp. Peace to them both and to all of us in 2018.
— William Whyte (@william_whyte) January 1, 2018
Sad about Gavin Stamp. Taught me everything I don't know about Modern architecture at the Mac. But everything about Greek Thomson.
— Sam Jacob (@_SamJacob) December 30, 2017
We are so very sad to hear this news. Gavin Stamp understood fully the need to look after our history in order to allow us to forge ahead as he wrote “Nostalgia and progress are not necessarily contradictory.”
— Edward Williams Arch (@EWAarchitects) January 1, 2018
Photograph is courtesy of Getty.