The loss of David Hodgkiss of William Hare, to Coronavirus is a cruel blow that has made this global tragedy, a personal one.
David was not only a giant of the construction industry, he was also a devoted father and husband and to me, a dear friend and a man of unbounded generosity. We spent time fishing together in both Scotland and Iceland, which now feels so precious.
My family and I, as a result of a recent Maggie’s charity auction bid, were also happy recipients of his philanthropy. His gift of a Safari prize last year was incredibly special and beyond all our expectations.
Last year he also kindly sponsored The Architecture Drawing Prize, that we at Make initiated with the World Architectural Festival and the Sir John Soane’s Museum. It was a great success with a global reach and David’s input into the 2019 competition was fundamental to its success.
David was the softly spoken but inspiring leader of William Hare, the firm responsible for many of our buildings’ steel frames, including the complex London Wall Place, they are soon due to start on our 40 Leadenhall commercial project too. His legacy is a whole raft of award-winning buildings, built over decades.
David was always warm, sociable, continually cheerful and a remarkable optimist. He had a mischievous sense of humour, an enduring smile and leaves many friends bewildered by the sudden loss. Coronavirus is a terrible indiscriminate killer and it suddenly feels so very close to home. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this impossible time.
