Born in Glen Innes, New South Wales, Madigan studied architecture at Sydney Technical College from 1939 to 1941.
He enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy in 1941,[1] and was one of the few survivors of the sinking of the corvette HMAS Armidale off Timor in 1942.
A notable building from this period was the Warringah Council Library at Dee Why, New South Wales, which was awarded the Sir John Sulman Medal for architecture in 1966.
[4] In later years, Madigan vigorously opposed plans to build a new entrance to the National Gallery of Australia.
[5] He died, aged 90, in Bangalow, New South Wales on 17 September 2011,[6] survived by his wife Ruby (née Court-Rice), their son Guy (born 1952) and a grandson.