Andrzej Blonski, who studied at the AA from 1967 to 1972 and went on to design iconic theatre and arts projects in the UK, sadly passed away on 23 March 2024.
As an active AA member, Andrzej loved joining visits to new buildings and members’ trips abroad. He was there for the architecture, of course, but more than anything he was there for the chance to discuss projects and ideas with others. He found pleasure in seeing the world through the fresh eyes of students and recent graduates, and listening to alternative points of view. He had a wide range of interests and a constant curiosity that brought him frequently to the AA Bookshop.
Andrzej was far too modest about his own work. With Peter Moro in the 1970s and 1980s, he led award-winning projects such as the Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Plymouth, completed in 1982 and now Grade II listed. His own practice, Andrzej Blonski Architects (Studio ABA) established in 1988, continued to specialise in theatre and arts projects, completing the Milton Keynes theatre, the Peepul Centre in Leicester and Derry Playhouse, amongst others.
Andrzej loved the outdoors and visited Hooke Park a number of times. Dinners with friends were often preceded by a day fishing or foraging for mushrooms. He was very much a people’s person, nurtured friendships for life and remained loyal and supportive to the people and organisations that mattered to him, be it his lifelong support of Fulham football club, of which he was a season ticket holder, his association with the AA as a Member for more than fifty years, or his long-standing support of Ognisko Polskie in Kensington, one of the last surviving Polish social clubs established in the UK during the Second World War. As a trustee of the club, Andrzej oversaw a painstaking refurbishment, often persuading Polish builders to work at cost, or secretly subsidising the cost himself, helping to promote the recent relaunch of the club as a modern space for Polish culture, food and drink to be celebrated and enjoyed by all.
Andrzej closed his office after his wife Ewa Blonska fell ill in 2020 to spend time caring for her. She sadly passed away that year. He is survived by his daughter Malgosia Odell, and his brother Zbyszek Blonski.
James Mackenzie-Blackman, Chief Executive and Executive Producer of Theatre Royal Plymouth said:
“We are saddened to hear the news of Andrzej’s passing, but his legacy in our building will live on. We are immensely proud of his iconic design. All elements of Andrzej’s complex and original design fuse to create something wholly special and altogether welcoming. It’s such a privilege to come to work here every day in this ingenious purpose-built building that will continue to grow with the city and flourish long into the future.”