Sir Ken Adam, Dead at 95 ⇥ core77.com

Watching my first Bond film, Thunderball, at a very young age left a significant impression on me. The action, the music — Thunderball’s soundtrack remains one of the best in the series — and the quick dialogue all remain locked in my brain. But perhaps the single biggest contribution, for me, was Ken Adam’s gorgeous SPECTRE lair set. It is one of the first times I really took notice of architecture and design.

His work continues to inspire me to this day. From his indelible mark on every Bond film — whether he worked on the film or not — to the Dr. Strangelove war room set, Adam’s work is second-to-none. That’s one hell of a life.