Mace chair describes Shard developer as 鈥榦ne of life鈥檚 characters鈥�

Stephen Pycroft, executive chairman of Mace - the contractor that built the Shard - has paid tribute to Irvine Sellar, who died aged 82 on Sunday 26 February.

Sellar, chairman of Sellar Property Group, is best known for developing the UK鈥檚 tallest building. His company is also developing the west London Paddington Cube project, which has proved controversial with heritage groups.

Pycroft said: 鈥淚 was deeply saddened to hear of the sudden death of Irvine Sellar. He was one of life鈥檚 characters and The Shard epitomised the impact he made in London both as a developer and as a person. I came to know him well during the period when Mace were appointed to deliver the Shard and we developed a close working relationship.

鈥淗e was one of a kind. Above his desk, he had a framed quote from George Bernard Shaw: 鈥楾he reasonable man adapts himself to the world: the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.鈥� I had the utmost respect for Irvine and he will be sadly missed.鈥�

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