Syd Mead, blade runner, alien and futuristic designer, dies at the age of 86
Industrial designer and artist Syd Mead died at the age of 86 as a result of lymphoma cancer, as Polygon can confirm.
Mead is best known as a conceptual artist in science fiction films like Blade Runner. After working in the automotive industry for some time, Mead worked as a production illustrator for Star Trek: The Motion Picture. However, one of his most frequently cited works was the futuristic design he used for Blade Runner – the version of Los Angeles that he designed became an icon of his vision of the future.
In his decades-long career, Mead has worked on films such as Aliens, Mission: Impossible 3 and Blade Runner 2049. His work has also been published in video games: Aliens: Colonial Marines, Cyber Speedway, Wing Commander: Prophecy and CyberRace. He is widely regarded as a visionary for his detailed, influential work.
Mead announced its resignation in September after 60 years of design. Art Directors are expected to honor Guild Mead and his work with the Cameron Menzies Award during the Guild’s 24th Annual Awards on February 1st.
Much of his film work is described in Syd Mead’s film art: Visual Futurist, a 2017 hardcover art book.
