Foster + Partners

History

Foster + Partners London office

Established by Norman Foster as Foster Associates in 1967 shortly after leaving Team 4, the firm was renamed Sir Norman Foster and Partners Ltd in 1992 and shortened to Foster & Partners Ltd in 1999 to more accurately reflect the influence of the other lead architects.^[3]

In 2007, the private equity company 3i took a stake in the practice. This was bought back by the practice in June 2014 to become wholly owned by the 140 partners.^[4]

In October 2021, Foster + Partners was bought by a Canadian private investment firm Hennick & Company for an undisclosed sum, making it the single biggest shareholder of the practice. Foster will retain a controlling interest.^[5]

Major projects

Major projects, by year of completion and ordered by type, are:

Masterplans

• More London, London, UK (1998–2000)
• Duisburg Inner Harbour, Germany (1991–2003)
• Trafalgar Square redevelopment, London, UK (1996–2003)
• Quartermile, Edinburgh, Scotland (2001–)
• Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2007–)
• West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong (2009)
• Thames Hub, UK (2011–)
• Central Square, Cardiff, Wales
• Amaravati, India (under construction)^{[6][non-primary source needed]}

Bridges

• Millau Viaduct, the tallest bridge in the world (2004)
• Western Årsta Bridge, Sweden (1994/2005)
• Millennium Bridge, London, UK (1998–2002)

Government

• Reichstag building redevelopment, Berlin, Germany (1999)
• London City Hall, UK (2002)
• New Supreme Court Building, Singapore (2005)
• Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, Astana, Kazakhstan (2006)
• Buenos Aires City Hall (new headquarters), Buenos Aires, Argentina^[7] (2015)

Cultural

• Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK (1978)
• Clyde Auditorium, part of the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre complex, Glasgow (1997)
• Sackler Galleries, Royal Academy of Arts, London, UK (1985–1991)
• Carré d’Art, Nîmes, France (1984–1993)
• American Air Museum, Imperial War Museum Duxford, UK (1997) – Stirling Prize
• Queen Elizabeth II Great Court redevelopment, British Museum, London, UK (2000)
• The Sage Gateshead, Gateshead, UK (1997–2004)
• The Zénith, Zénith de Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France (2004–2007)
• The Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian Institution, National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C., US (2004–2007)
• Winspear Opera House, Dallas, US (2003–2009)
• Art of the Americas Wing, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Boston, US (1999–2010)
• Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, Astana, Kazakhstan (2006–2010)
• Sperone Westwater Gallery, New York City, US (2008–2010)
• Extension to Lenbachhaus art museum, Munich, Germany (2013)
• OVO Hydro, Glasgow, Scotland (2004–2013)
• Datong Art Museum, China (2011–2022)^[8]

Higher education

• Kings Norton Library, Cranfield University, UK (1994)
• Faculty of Law, Cambridge, Cambridge, UK (1995)
• Faculty of Management (now known as Aberdeen Business School), The Robert Gordon University, UK (1998)
• Imperial College School of Medicine, Sir Alexander Flemming Building, London, UK (1994–1998)
• Center for Clinical Science Research, Stanford University Stanford, California, US (1995–2000)
• British Library of Political and Economic Science, London School of Economics, London, UK (1993–2001)
• Imperial College London, Flowers Building, London, UK (1997–2001)
• Faculty of Social Studies, University of Oxford, UK (1996–2002)
• James H. Clark Center, Stanford, California, US (1999–2003)
• Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia (2004)
• Tanaka Business School, renamed the Imperial College Business School, London, UK (2004)
• Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany (2005)
• Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (2006)
• Library, California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, California, US (2000–2008)
• Yale School of Management, new campus, New Haven, US (2013)^[9]
• Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2007–2015)
• China Resources University, Shenzhen, China (2011–2016)
• Health Education Campus (HEC), Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA (2015–2019), location of the first U.S. 2020 Presidential Debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Sport

• Wembley Stadium reconstruction, London, UK (2007)
• Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar (2010)

Transportation

• Stansted Airport, Uttlesford, UK (1991)
• Metro Bilbao, Spain (1995) – Line 2 (2004)
• Hong Kong International Airport, Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong (1998)
• Canary Wharf tube station, London, UK (1999)
• Expo MRT station, Singapore (2001)
• Dresden Hauptbahnhof redevelopment, Dresden, Germany (1997–2006)
• Beijing Capital International Airport, Beijing, China (2008)
• Heathrow Terminal 2, London, UK
• Spaceport America, New Mexico, US (2005–2013)
• Four railway stations for the Haramain High Speed Rail Project, Saudi Arabia^[10]
• Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Hong Kong (2013)^[11]
• Mexico City Texcoco Airport, Mexico (projected 2020)
• Slussenområdet redevelopment, Stockholm, Sweden (projected 2022)^[12]
• Queen Alia International Airport, Amman, Jordan (2005–2013)
• Thames Hub, UK (from 2011)
• Thames Hub Airport, UK (from 2013)
• Ocean Terminal extension, Hong Kong
• York University station – TYSSE, Vaughan, Ontario/Toronto, Canada (2017)
• New Phnom Penh International Airport, Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2025)

Office

• Fred. Olsen Lines terminal, London Docklands, UK (1971)
• Willis Building, Ipswich, UK (1971–1975)
• HSBC Tower, Hong Kong (1986)
• Commerzbank Tower, Frankfurt, Germany (1997)
• Citigroup Centre, London, UK (1996–2000)
• 8 Canada Square (global headquarters of HSBC Group, London, UK (1997–2002)
• 30 St Mary Axe (‘The Gherkin’), London, UK – Swiss Re headquarters (2004) – Stirling Prize
• McLaren Technology Centre, base for the McLaren Formula One team and McLaren Group, Woking, UK (2004)
• Deutsche Bank Place, Sydney, Australia (1997–2005)
• Hearst Tower, New York City, US (2006)
• Willis Building, London, UK (2001–2007)
• Torre Cepsa, Madrid, Spain (2002–2009)
• Apple Park (corporate headquarters of Apple Inc., Cupertino, California, US
• Bloomberg London (European headquarters), London UK (2017) – Stirling Prize
• 425 Park Avenue, New York City, US

Leisure

• The Great Glasshouse, National Botanic Garden of Wales, Wales, UK (1995–2000)
• Elephant House, Copenhagen Zoo#Foster’s Elephant House, Copenhagen, Denmark (2002–2008)
• Dolder Grand restoration, Zürich, Switzerland (2002–2008)
• Faustino Winery Bodegas Faustino, Castilla y Leon, Spain (2007–2010)
• Le Dôme winery, Saint-Émilion, France (−2021)
• ME Hotel, ME by Meliá, London, UK (2004–2013)
• The Murray, Hong Kong (2018)^{[13] [14]}

Mixed use

• Albion Riverside, London, UK (1998–2003)
• Al Faisaliyah Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (1994–2000)
• The Index (Dubai), Dubai, UAE (2010)
• The Troika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2004–2011)
• The Bow, Calgary, Canada (2005–2013)
• Central Market Project, Abu Dhabi, UAE (2006–2013)
• One Central Park, Sydney, Australia (2012–2013)
• 2 World Trade Center (formerly 200 Greenwich Street), New York City, US (predicted completion date 2022)
• CityCenterDC, Washington, D.C., US
• Crystal Island, Moscow, Russia (completion date not set yet)
• Hermitage Plaza, La Défense, Paris, France (from 2008)
• India Tower, Mumbai, India (cancelled)
• Oceanwide Center, San Francisco, US (predicted completion date 2021)
• Comcast Technology Center, Philadelphia, US (predicted completion date 2017)
• VietinBank Business Center Office Tower, Hanoi, Vietnam (predicted completion date 2017)
• Principal Place (including Principal Tower), London, UK (2017)
• Battersea Power Station Phase 3, London, UK (under construction)^[15]
• The One, Toronto, Canada (projected 2020)

Residential

• The Murezzan, St Moritz, Switzerland (2003–2007)^[16]
• Regent Place, Sydney, Australia (2003–2007)^[17]
• Jameson House, Vancouver, Canada (2004–2011)^[18]
• The Aleph, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2006–2013)^[19]
• Anfa Place, Casablanca, Morocco (2007–2013)^[20]
• Faena House, Miami Beach, US^[21][22]
• The Towers by Foster + Partners, Miami, US (2016)
• Arcoris Mont Kiara, Malaysia (projected 2016)
• 100 East 53rd Street (formerly 610 Lexington Avenue), New York City, US (2019)^[23]
• 50 United Nations Plaza, New York City, US (2015)^[24]
• Ocean Tower, Mumbai, India (projected 2022)
• The Estate Makati, Makati, Philippines (projected 2023)

Current

• Hall of Realms, Madrid, Spain (projected 2021)
• York University, Toronto, Canada (projected 2018)
• BBC Cymru Wales New Broadcasting House, Cardiff, Wales
• Amaravati, India (under construction)
• Varso Tower (the tallest building in Poland and in the European Union), Warsaw, Poland (topped-out)
• Shinagawa Triton Tower, Tokyo, Japan (under construction, projected to be completed in 2026)
• 270 Park Avenue redevelopment, New York, United States (under construction)
• Transamerica Pyramid, San Francisco, United States (renovation)^[25]

Selected works

• 

  The British Library of Political and Economic Science

• 

  The futuristic interior roof of Hong Kong International Airport

• 

  The Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters in Ipswich was one of Foster’s earliest commissions after founding Foster Associates.

• 

  The tessellated glass roof of the British Museum’s Great Court.

• 

  The new Wembley Stadium in London: perhaps one of the most controversial projects^[26] that Foster + Partners have been involved in.

• 

  30 St Mary Axe, one of London’s most popular new buildings,^[27] towers above its neighbours.

• 

  The reconstruction of the Reichstag building

• 

  Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts

• 

  Millennium Bridge, London

• 

  HSBC building in Hong Kong

• 

  London City Hall

• 

  Bloomberg European Headquarters, London

• 

  Apple Park

Awards

• 1998 RIBA Stirling Prize for Imperial War Museum
• 2000 Welsh National Eisteddfod Gold Medal for the Great Glasshouse, National Botanic Garden of Wales^[28]
• 2003 MIPIM AR Future Projects Award, Grand Prix for Swiss Re
• 2004 RIBA Stirling Prize for Swiss Re
• 2007 RIBA European Award for Dresden Station Redevelopment
• 2007 RIBA International Award for Hearst Tower
• 2007 Aga Khan Award for Architecture for University of Technology Petronas
• 2008 2008 LEAF Award for Beijing Airport Terminal 3
• 2009 RIBA European Award for Zenith
• 2009 2009 RIBA International Award for Beijing Airport Terminal 3
• In June 2011, The Index Tower was the recipient of the 2011 Best Tall Building Middle East & Africa award by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat
• 2010 RIBA International Award for Winspear Opera House^[29]
• 2011 RIBA International Award for Masdar Institute^[30]
• 2011 RIBA International Award for Boston Museum of Fine Arts^[30]
• 2013 RIBA International Award for Faena Aleph Residences^[31]
• 2013 RIBA International Award Central Market Project
• 2013 RIBA Award 7 More London More London
• 2013 Best Bar, Restaurant & Bar Design Awards for Atrium Champagne Bar, London, UK
• 2014 RIBA International Award for Marseille Vieux Port^[32]
• 2016 RIBA International Award for Buenos Aires Ciudad Casa de Gobierno^[33]
• 2017 RIBA National Award for Maggie’s at the Robert Parfett Building^[34]
• 2018 RIBA Awards for International Excellence for Xiao Jing Wan University ^[35]
• 2018 Stirling Prize for Bloomberg London, UK
• World Winners Prix Versailles 2018

Criticism

In June 2008, The Guardian published an article highly critical of planned real estate development in a pristine seacoast area in Bulgaria which is currently under EU environmental protection. The paper cited environmentalists’ concerns over the impact of the planned 15,000 inhabitant resort facilities. The Bulgarian partner, Georgi Stanishev, is the brother of Sergei Stanishev, Leader of Bulgarian socialist Party, Prime Minister of Bulgaria between 17 August 2005 and 27 July 2009.^[36]

See also

• List of architecture firms
• List of architects
• Spencer de Grey
• Mouzhan Majidi
• Richard Rogers
• Roy Fleetwood
• SkyCycle (proposed transport project)