Architect behind Olympic legacy dies
AN ARCHITECT and urban regeneration expert who worked on the Olympic Park has died at the age of 62.
Clive Dutton, praised as “an inspiration and a visionary” died from cancer two weeks after The Line, his east London sculpture trail, was launched.
He began working for Newham council in 2009 and was a key figure in the Olympic regeneration project after the 2012 games.
He had previously been director of regeneration and planning for Birmingham City Council, working on the city’s library and landmark The Cube.
His Dutton Report also played an important role in the regeneration of west Belfast following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
Mr Dutton, who received an OBE for services to urban regeneration the same year, retired in 2013. He set up his own consultancy and founded The Line with art curator Megan Piper. The project, which launched two weeks ago, includes sculptures by Damien Hirst, Martin Creed and Eduardo Paolozzi. They have been installed along a walk linking The O2 and the Olympic Park.
The aim of the project is to bring artworks out of warehouses and into the public realm so they can be enjoyed by as many people as possible.
Ms Piper said: “I knew Clive was ill for some time but it hasn’t helped deal with the huge amount of pain we are all in. Clive was an inspiration and a visionary. His energy and enthusiasm was infectious.
“When he retired in 2013 we met and decided that we wanted The Line to happen right away and not in 10 years’ time and we did it. He truly believed that art and culture was the key to regeneration. His impact was huge. He will be sorely missed.”