Conrad Smith, the co-founder of architecture studio ReardonSmith, has died suddenly after suffering a heart attack.

Confirming the news, the studio’s co-founder Patrick Reardon spoke of his sense of shock and loss.

“Conrad touched all our lives as an extraordinary colleague, business partner and a dear friend; he was an exceptionally talented architect but, above all, a very special person,” Reardon said. “We will all miss him in so many ways and our thoughts are with his family, with whom he was so close, and also with his partner, Warren.”

Renowned for his work in the hotel and resort design sector, Smith was managing director at ReardonSmith for 18 years. In that time, he helped shape the business by broadening the portfolio to include a full spectrum of hospitality work across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

He worked on a wide range of projects, from urban regeneration to heritage restorations, and from resort masterplanning to hotel development.