Malibu and Brentwood resident and architect Nick Roberts passed away of ALS in Los Angeles on Sept. 21 at the age of 65.
Roberts was the son of architects David Wyn Roberts and Margaret MacDonald Baird. He graduated from Cambridge University with a B.A. in architecture in 1969, and later from the Architectural Association’s School of Architecture in London in 1972.
In 1977 Roberts moved to Los Angeles, where he practiced architecture and met his future wife, Cory Buckner, also an architect. They married in 1981 and had a daughter, Bryony Roberts.
As an associate and project manager for Leo A. Daly in Los Angeles from 1985 to 2003, Roberts managed a number of well-known projects including the Los Angeles Convention Center expansion and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Locally, Roberts collaborated with his wife Cory on the design of their mountaintop home in Malibu and reno vations of St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church.
In 2003, Roberts found his true calling as professor of architecture at Woodbury University in Burbank, where he also served as Interim Chair of the Undergraduate Program and founded the school’s study abroad programs in China and India. He was inducted into the Woodbury University Faculty Hall of Fame in August.
Roberts’ adventurous spirit drove him to travel all over the world, from Isfahan to Tokyo to Buenos Aires, and he particularly loved being at the helm of a sail boat, whether exploring the inlets of the Channel Islands or the coast of Maine. He is the author of “Places of Worship,” published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
“A man of generosity, warmth, and great sincerity, Nick wanted nothing more than to help and inspire others, especially his students,” Roberts’ family wrote. “He lived a life of constant curiosity and continual learning.”
Roberts is survived by his wife Cory Buckner and his daughter, Bryony Roberts.
A memorial service will take place at a later time.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Nick Roberts Scholarship Fund at Woodbury University, University Relations, 7500 No. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA 91504.
Contributors can write Nick Roberts on the check, or contact Vincent Blocker at 818.252.5229.