British design, architecture, engineering and planning firm
Foster and Partners (alsoFoster + Partners ) is a British internationalarchitecture firm with its headquarters inLondon , England. It was founded in 1967 by British architect and designerNorman Foster . The firm has been involved in the design of major projects around the world, includingthe Gherkin in London, theHearst Tower in New York City, the 1990s renovation of theReichstag in Berlin, theMillau Viaduct in France andHong Kong International Airport .[ 3] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6]
In addition to architectural design, the firm's practice encompasses engineering[ 7] [ 8] New York ,Hong Kong , andMadrid .[ 7] Pritzker Architecture Prize [ 9] Stirling Prize .[ 10] [ 11]
The firm was established by Norman Foster in 1967,[ 9] Team 4 .[ 12] Foster Associates [ 13] Sir Norman Foster and Partners in 1992, thenFoster & Partners in 1999, and finallyFoster + Partners in 2006.[ 14]
The firm was chosen byRobert Sainsbury to design theSainsbury Centre for Visual Arts , which was completed in 1978.[ 15] University of East Anglia inNorwich, England ,[ 16] [ 15]
In 1979, Foster + Partners won an international competition to design the newHSBC headquarters inHong Kong .[ 17] [ 17]
The firm was chosen to renovate theReichstag in Berlin after being selected in a design competition in 1992.[ 18] [ 17]
Foster + Partners was selected to be architect of a new skyscraper in London to be built on the site of theBaltic Exchange building , which had been heavily damaged by an IRA bomb in 1992.[ 19] The Gherkin ,” was completed in 2004 forSwiss Re .[ 20]
In 2001, construction began on the Norman Foster-designedMillau Viaduct spanning theTarn Gorge in southern France. The bridge was completed in 2004 and as of 2024 was the tallest bridge in the world.[ 21]
In 2007, the private equity company3i took a stake in the firm.[ 22]
The firm was approached bySteve Jobs in 2009 to develop 75 acres inCupertino, California into the new headquarters of Apple; Jobs consulted on the design until his death in 2011.[ 23] Apple Park , cost $5 billion and opened in 2017.[ 24]
The practice regained complete ownership in June 2014, when the 140 partners bought it back from 3i.[ 25]
In October 2021, a stake in the firm was bought for an undisclosed sum by a Canadian private investor,Hennick & Company, which became the single largest shareholder of the firm. Foster retains a controlling interest.[ 26]
Notable projects ordered by year of completion and type:
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 , WalesAmaravati , India (under construction)[ 27] [non-primary source needed Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts ,University of East Anglia ,Norwich , UK (1978)Clyde Auditorium , part of theScottish 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)[ 29] : 20 Sperone Westwater Gallery, New York City, US (2008–2010) Extension toLenbachhaus art museum,Munich , Germany (2013) OVO Hydro , Glasgow, Scotland (2004–2013)Datong Art Museum, China (2011–2022)[ 31] Hall of Realms , Madrid, Spain (2018–2021)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 Fleming 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 theImperial 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)[ 32] 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, US (2015–2019), location of the first U.S.2020 Presidential Debate betweenDonald Trump andJoe Biden .York University , Toronto, Canada (2018)Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences ,Hebrew University of Jerusalem , 2009Stansted Airport , Uttlesford, UK (1991)Metro Bilbao , Spain (1997) – 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, UKSpaceport America ,New Mexico , US (2005–2013)Four railway stations for theHaramain High Speed Rail Project , Saudi Arabia[ 33] Kai Tak Cruise Terminal , Hong Kong (2013)[ 34] Mexico City Texcoco Airport , Mexico (projected 2020)Slussenområdet redevelopment,Stockholm , Sweden (projected 2022)[ 35] Queen Alia International Airport ,Amman , Jordan (2005–2013)Thames Hub , UK (from 2011)Thames Hub Airport , UK (from 2013)Ocean Terminal extension, Hong KongYork University station –TYSSE ,Vaughan, Ontario /Toronto , Canada (2017)Red Sea International Airport , Hanak, Saudi Arabia (2023)Tocumen International Airport Terminal 2,Panama City , Panama (2023)Gadigal and Barangaroo Metro stations , Sydney (2024)Techo International Airport ,Phnom Penh , Cambodia (2025)Solidarity Transport Hub or Central Communication/Transport Port ,Baranów , Poland (2027)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 ofHSBC Group , London, UK (1997–2002)The Gherkin , London, UK –Swiss Re headquarters (2004) –Stirling Prize McLaren Technology Centre , base for theMcLaren Formula One team and McLaren Group,Woking , UK (2004)Deutsche Bank Place ,Sydney (1997–2005)Hearst Tower , New York City, US (2006)Willis Building , London, UK (2001–2007)Torre Cepsa , Madrid, Spain (2002–2009)Principal Place ,Shoreditch , London (2012–2016) – UK headquarters ofAmazon Apple Park (corporate headquarters ofApple Inc. ),Cupertino, California , US (2013–2017)Bloomberg London (European headquarters), London UK (2017) – Stirling PrizeHankook Technoplex,Daejeon ,South Korea (2016-2020)[ 36] [ 37] Varso (the tallest building in Poland and in theEuropean Union ), Warsaw, Poland (2022)425 Park Avenue , New York City, US (2022)Russian Copper Company [ru ] Headquarters,Yekaterinburg , Russia (2020)[ 38] [ 39] DJI Sky City (DJI headquarter),Shenzhen , China (2022)MOL Campus (the tallest Building inHungary ), Budapest, Hungary (2022)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 WineryBodegas 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)[ 40] [ 41] 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 (formerly200 Greenwich Street ), New York City, US (completion date not set yet)CityCenterDC , Washington, D.C., USCrystal 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 (completed 2018)VietinBank Business Center Office Tower ,Hanoi , Vietnam (predicted completion date 2017)Principal Place (includingPrincipal Tower ), London, UK (2017)Battersea Power Station Phase 3, London, UK (under construction)[ 42] The One , Toronto, Canada (projected 2024)The Murezzan,St Moritz , Switzerland (2003–2007)[ 43] Regent Place, Sydney, Australia (2003–2007)[ 44] Jameson House, Vancouver, Canada (2004–2011)[ 45] The Aleph, Buenos Aires, Argentina (2006–2013)[ 46] Anfa Place,Casablanca , Morocco (2007–2013)[ 47] Faena House,Miami Beach , US[ 48] [ 49] 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)[ 50] 50 United Nations Plaza , New York City, US (2015)[ 51] Ocean Tower, Mumbai, India (projected 2022) The Estate Makati ,Makati ,Philippines (projected 2023)The new
Wembley Stadium in London: one of the most controversial projects that Foster + Partners have been involved in.
[ 53] In June 2008,The Guardian Bulgaria , which was underEU 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 ofSergey Stanishev , who served as the Prime Minister of Bulgaria between 2005 and 2009 and is also the Leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party.[ 63]
^ Spocchia, Gino (29 April 2024)."Would you work in Saudi Arabia?" .Architect's Journal . Retrieved4 December 2024 .Stuart Latham, managing partner and senior executive partner at Foster + Partners, tells the AJ: 'Saudi Arabia is rapidly opening up to the rest of the world ^ Rogers, Dave."Foster Partners' Saudi projects help them earn £100m dividends" . ^ Wong, Gillian; Specia, Megan (13 August 2019)."Hong Kong Airport, a City's Symbol of Pride, Is Now Its Hub of Unrest" .New York Times . Retrieved5 September 2023 . ^ Nayeri, Farah (10 May 2023)."Norman Foster Is Still Looking Upward" .New York Times . Retrieved7 September 2023 . ^ Kuang, Cliff (13 February 2009)."Norman Foster's No Good, Rotten, Very Bad Week" .Fast Company . Retrieved7 September 2023 . ^ Cohen de Lara, Max; Mulder van der Vegt, David."These 5 architectural designs influence every legislature in the world — and tell you how each governs" .Washington Post . No. 4 March2017. Retrieved29 November 2023 . ^a b Hickman, Matt (11 October 2021)."Foster + Partners sold to a Canadian private investment firm" .The Architect's Newspaper . Retrieved11 September 2023 . ^ Bertoli, Rosa (30 August 2022)."Leading light: Foster + Partners' Industrial Design shines bright" .Wallpaper . Retrieved7 September 2023 . ^a b Fazzare, Elizabeth (12 May 2023)."Norman Foster Is More Invested in the Future Than Ever" .Architectural Digest . Retrieved7 September 2023 . ^ Prisco, Jacopo (10 October 2018)."Bloomberg's European HQ named UK's best new building" .CNN . Retrieved11 September 2023 . ^ Parker, Ian (20 January 2025)."Norman Foster's Empire of Image Control" .The New Yorker .ISSN 0028-792X . ^ Ravenscroft, Tom (19 January 2023)." .dezeen . Retrieved11 September 2023 . ^ Glancey, Jonathan (2 January 1999)."The Guardian Profile: Sir Norman Foster, The Master Builder" .The Guardian ^ "FOSTER + PARTNERS LIMITED" ..company-information.service.gov.uk . Retrieved1 August 2025 .^a b Rybczynski, Witold (18 February 2016)."Biography of a Building" .Architect magazine . Retrieved26 October 2024 . ^ Moore, Rowan (18 March 2018)."Forty years of hi-tech: from the Sainsbury Centre to Apple Park" .The Guardian . Retrieved26 October 2024 . ^a b c Astbury, Jon (11 November 2019)."Norman Foster is high-tech architecture's international figurehead" .Dezeen . Retrieved15 October 2024 . ^ Douglass-Jamies, David (2 November 2015)."AD Classics: New German Parliament, Reichstag / Foster + Partners" .ArchDaily . Retrieved17 October 2024 . ^ " . BBC News. 23 August 2000.Archived from the original on 9 September 2010. Retrieved7 February 2010 .^ "London's Gherkin sold to Brazilian billionaire" .BBC . 10 November 2014. Retrieved21 November 2024 .^ Buckley, Julia (20 August 2024)."How the world's tallest bridge changed the map of Europe" .CNN . Retrieved4 December 2024 . ^ "Architect Norman Foster sells stake to 3i" .Reuters . 9 August 2007. Retrieved21 April 2025 .^ Levy, Steven (16 May 2017)."Inside Apple's Insanely Great (or Just Insane) New Mothership" .Wired . Retrieved15 October 2024 . ^ Tibkin, Shara (17 November 2017)."Apple Park: Normal people like you can now visit" .CNET . Retrieved17 October 2024 . ^ Rogers, David (1 July 2014)."Foster's buys out private equity stake" .Building Design . Retrieved2 July 2014 . ^ Hopkirk, Elizabeth (11 October 2021)."Breaking news: Foster & Partners sold to private equity firm" . Building Design Online. Retrieved11 October 2021 . ^ "Amaravati Masterplan | Projects" .fp-corporatewebsite-prod.azurewebsites.net .^ "Millau Viaduct | Architecture Projects" .fp-corporatewebsite-prod.azurewebsites.net . Retrieved17 July 2024 .^a b Curtis, Simon; Klaus, Ian (2024).The Belt and Road City: Geopolitics, Urbanization, and China's Search for a New International Order . New Haven and London:Yale University Press .ISBN 9780300266900 ^ Laura Rocha (29 March 2014)."Macri muda a Parque Patricios la sede de la jefatura de gobierno de la ciudad" .La Nación (in Spanish). Archived fromthe original on 18 December 2017. Retrieved29 March 2014 . ^ "Datong Art Museum opens to the public" . Foster + Partners. 5 January 2022. Retrieved7 January 2022 .^ Design New Haven"Lord Norman Foster Unveils Svelte Glass Design for Yale School of Management" .Design New Haven . 11 December 2008. Retrieved13 February 2009 . ^ www.fosterandpartners.com, Foster + Partners /."Foster + Partners + Buro Happold joint venture to design four stations for new Haramain High-speed Railway | Foster + Partners" .www.fosterandpartners.com . ^ "Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Hong Kong, 2010–2013" . Archived fromthe original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved21 October 2011 .^ "Slussen Masterplan & Urban Design in collaboration with Berg Arkitektkontor" . Archived fromthe original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved18 May 2017 .^ "Hankook Tire, Central R+D Centre | Foster + Partners" .Archilovers . 20 October 2016. Retrieved13 June 2024 .^ "Hankook Technoplex | Offices and Headquarters" .fp-corporatewebsite-prod.azurewebsites.net . Retrieved13 June 2024 .^ "Игорь Алтушкин: биография, личная жизнь, фонд, дети, РМК, Екатеринбург | BEGETON" .begeton.com (in Russian). Archived fromthe original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved12 June 2023 .^ "Алтушкин Игорь Алексеевич / "Компания". Биографии" .ko.ru (in Russian). Retrieved12 June 2023 .^ The Murray | Projects | Foster + Partners . Fosterandpartners.com (2018). Retrieved 2018.^ Top architect Norman Foster transforms Hong Kong's colonial-era Murray Building into five-star hotel. (26 June 2017). South China Morning Post.^ "Superstar Architects Gehry and Foster to design Battersea Power Station's High Street" . 22 October 2013. Retrieved23 October 2013 .^ The Murezzan | Projects | Foster + Partners . Fosterandpartners.com. Retrieved 23 June 2014.^ Regent Place | Projects | Foster + Partners Archived 28 August 2017 at theWayback Machine . Fosterandpartners.com (19 June 2003). Retrieved 23 June 2014.^ Jameson House | Projects | Foster + Partners . Fosterandpartners.com. Retrieved 23 June 2014.^ The Aleph | Projects | Foster + Partners Archived 18 August 2017 at theWayback Machine . Fosterandpartners.com. Retrieved 23 June 2014.^ www.fosterandpartners.com, Foster + Partners /."Anfa Place | Foster + Partners" .www.fosterandpartners.com . Retrieved16 February 2023 . ^ www.fosterandpartners.com, Foster + Partners /."Faena House | Foster + Partners" .www.fosterandpartners.com . Retrieved16 February 2023 . ^ "Faena | Miami" . 8 December 2012. Archived fromthe original on 8 December 2012.^ Hughes, C.J. (25 July 2014)."An Architect Gets Busy" .The New York Times . ^ Horsely, Carter."Review of 50 United Nations Plaza, 50 UN Plaza between East 46th Street & East 47th Street" .City Realty . Retrieved1 July 2017 . ^ Li, Roland (22 March 2022)."S.F.'s Transamerica Pyramid is getting a $250 million redesign, the biggest in its 50-year history" .SF Chronicle . Retrieved3 April 2022 . ^ International Herald Tribune"Roundup: Wembley Opening Delayed Until 2007" .International Herald Tribune . 1 April 2006. Archived fromthe original on 28 April 2020. Retrieved13 February 2009 . ^ BBC News"Building Prize for 'Icon Gherkin' .BBC News . 16 October 2004. Retrieved13 February 2009 . ^ Gold Medal for Architecture Archived 29 July 2014 at theWayback Machine , The National Eisteddfod of Wales.^ "RIBA Awards 2010 – Buildings, Architects" .e-architect . 15 January 2010.^a b Welch, Adrian (19 May 2011)."RIBA International Awards 2011 Buildings" .e-architect . ^ 'Winners of the 2013 RIBA International Awards awards for architectural excellence announced.' Archived 26 June 2013 at theWayback Machine ,Architecture.com ^ McManus, David (20 June 2014)."RIBA Awards 2014, Winning Buildings" .e-architect . ^ "RIBA International Prize 2016" .www.architecture.com . Archived fromthe original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved20 July 2020 .^ "RIBA National Awards 2017" .www.architecture.com .^ "Xiao Jing Wan University" .www.architecture.com .^ Kate Connolly (14 July 2008)."Bulgarian eco town 'the biggest mistake of Norman Foster's career', say protesters" .The Guardian . London.
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![The new Wembley Stadium in London: one of the most controversial projects that Foster + Partners have been involved in.[53]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aLondon_Wembley.jpg)
![30 St Mary Axe, one of London's most popular new buildings.[54]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3a30_St_Mary_Axe%2c_%2527Gherkin%2527.JPG)
