A UK crown court rules that architecture firm Foster + Partners is not responsible for the death of a man killed when a window fell from a newly constructed London penthouse. The incident occurred in 2018 and involved the death of Mick Ferris, a 53-year-old coach driver. The court finds that Foster + Partners, founded by Norman Foster, is not liable for the fatal event.
While the firm is cleared, the court convicts other parties connected to the project. Project managers and engineers are found guilty of safety breaches related to the construction and safety arrangements connected to the penthouse. The decision distinguishes between the responsibilities of the architectural practice and those of individuals directly involved in safety compliance.
The case centers on whether the architecture firm’s role in the development created legal responsibility for the window’s failure and the resulting fatal fall. The outcome means the firm avoids a conviction, but multiple project participants are held to have breached safety requirements.
