David Ridel

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of David Ridel.

David was a Partner with LSI Architects from 1992 up until his retirement in 2011.

He played a pivotal role in shaping LSI Architects into the successful business it is today. David’s leadership and influence have left a lasting impact on every aspect of our organisation.

An exceptional colleague, mentor and leader, many of the current team within the practice worked with and learned from David. His people-focused approach to design, placing the needs of the client, organisation and building users at the centre of the design process, is a legacy we’re proud to continue in our work today.

It was David’s desire to see the practice become the best employer it could be, with a progressive and inclusive culture. David instigated our decision to obtain Investors In People accreditation for the first time in 2005 and which we have maintained ever since.

David had a hand in dozens of high-profile projects around the region, notably the Riverside development, the cinema at the Castle Mall, Norwich Playhouse Theatre and Broadland Business Park, along with projects at the James Paget University Hospital and the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital. His work nationally included the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake, along with a wide-ranging portfolio of work in the retail sector.

He joined the practice, then known as Lambert, Scott and Innes, from BDP and in 1999 took on responsibility for management of the practice alongside David Thompson, following the retirement of Michael Innes. During his time with the practice David established a wide network of clients, consultants and friends of the practice, many of whom we still work alongside today.

In a 2011 article marking his retirement, David shared his experience on a project at Northampton General Hospital, where a Ward Sister in the newly designed space made a point of saying to him ‘patients get better here’. On this feedback, David reflected “That is, for me, one of the nicest things anyone could ever say. It’s very humbling and it means you’ve done the right thing.”

“David was warm, generous and engaging as well as a talented architect and business leader. We look back with appreciation on his tremendous work ethic, determination to do the right thing and also his sense of fun – long after his retirement he would love to attend our annual Christmas party to check-in on how we were all doing!

David will be forever a central figure in the story of our practice, for which we will always remain sincerely grateful as we look to future success built upon the ethos and culture that David helped to establish at LSI. He will be sorely missed.” – Rupert Kitchen, Director

Our thoughts are with his wife Flicky and David’s family at this sad time. Funeral details will be announced in due course.