Richard Paxton
Richard Lauderdale Paxton, was an English architect, largely working in London.Life and work
Paxton was one of four children of a Royal Air Force officer and spent his childhood travelling around the world, Malaysia in particular. He attended Hove Grammar School, followed by architecture school at Kingston Polytechnic.
After graduating, Paxton worked for Ahrends, Burton & Koralek. In 1985 he established the practice of Paxton Locher, with Heidi Locher. He supplemented their income with part-time teaching at Kingston and the Bartlett School in London. The practice worked on a number of house projects in London, including a revamp of the home of author Douglas Adams.
In 1996 the practice won a commission to design the new Soho Theatre. Their design incorporated a redundant synagogue as the theatre auditorium. It opened in 2000.
Richard Paxton died in London on 20 March 2006, aged 49, on the verge of completing a low-energy house project in Hampstead, where he planned to celebrate his 50th birthday.
Paxton designed homes featured on BBC Four's Living with the Future and Channel 4's Grand Designs.
