Tributes have been paid to Dr Wilem Frischmann, the engineer behind London’s iconic Centre Point development, who has died aged 95.
As well as Centre Point, Frischmann, who is a former chairman of built environment consultancy Pell Frischmann, also worked on the NatWest Tower – the tallest building in Europe at the time – and Canary Wharf.
He joined C J Pell & Partners in 1958, became a partner in 1961 and was appointed chairman of the business in 1968. Alongside his long-time business partner, Sudhu Prabhu, Frischmann grew a small London engineering practice that employed around 30 people into a global multidisciplinary consultancy employing more than 1,000 people.
When the 22-storey Ronan Point tower partially collapsed in 1968, the Treasury appointed him to report on the background and causes of the failure. His findings contributed to a fundamental rethinking of how tall pre-fabricated buildings were designed and regulated, leading to the strengthening of similar blocks across the country. He also led the assessment and protection of Mansion House in the City of London against ground movement caused by the Docklands Light Railway extension.
Perhaps no project better represents his legacy than the 117m tall Centre Point, which was granted Grade II listed status in 1995. The tower’s engineering design was revolutionary for its time and was the starting point for a uniquely evolving structural typology developed over a decade of collaboration between Pell Frischmann and Richard Seifert Architects.
Pell Frischmann later returned to lead the structural engineering of the Centre Point’s transformation from offices into a residential development and public destination.
Iain Bisset, managing director of Pell Frischmann, said: “Dr Wilem Frischmann’s career was defined by technical excellence, innovation and a lasting belief in what engineering can achieve. He played a leading role in the design and delivery of some of the UK’s most recognisable developments. His work helped reshape London’s skyline and established structural solutions that continue to influence the profession. His vision for the business still shapes Pell Frischmann today. Everyone at Pell Frischmann extends our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and former colleagues around the world.”
