Family of set designer Sir Ken Adam donate to Northern School of Art

The Northern School of Art has received a six-figure investment for the BA (Hons) Set Design course, from the estate of Sir Ken Adam - who designed sets for James Bond and other iconic film productions in the 1960s and 1970s - and his wife, Lady Letizia Adam.

Sir Ken, who was knighted for his services to film production design, is widely regarded as one of cinema's most influential creative figures.

Sir Ken Adam during the set design of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. (Image: 007 MAGAZINE & ARCHIVE Limited.)

The investment is expected to have a lasting impact on students at the Middlesbrough-based institution, helping support future careers in theatre, television and film.

Described by director Steven Spielberg as "the greatest visual artist in movie history", Sir Ken created some of the most memorable settings in cinema, including Blofeld's volcano lair in You Only Live Twice and the vast tanker hideout in The Spy Who Loved Me.

Sir Ken Adam on the set of The Spy Who Loved Me. (Image: 007 MAGAZINE & ARCHIVE Limited.)

His journey to becoming one of Britain's most celebrated production designers was an extraordinary one. Born Klaus Hugo Adam in Berlin in 1921, he fled Nazi Germany with his Jewish family in 1934 before later volunteering for the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, becoming one of only two German-born fighter pilots to fly for the RAF.

After the war, he forged a career that would reshape the visual language of modern cinema, winning two Academy Awards and leaving a legacy that continues to influence filmmakers, architects and designers worldwide.

Sir Ken Adam and his wife, Lady Letizia Adam. (Image: 007 MAGAZINE & ARCHIVE Limited.)

The Northern School of Arts BA Set Design programme will benefit from a six-figure investment by the estate of Sir Ken Adam. (Image: Northern School of Art)

The Northern School of Art said the donation from Sir Ken and Lady Letizia Adam's estate would help strengthen opportunities for students on its highly regarded set design degree course.

The programme combines practical training with industry-led teaching, giving students experience in set design, construction and scenic production while working alongside theatre, television and film professionals.

For aspiring creatives in Teesside and the wider North East hoping to break into the screen and stage industries, the school says the investment will help ensure Sir Ken Adam's legacy continues to inspire future generations of designers.