The way we work

To undertake some of the largest and most complex projects in the world needs depth of resources. Foster + Partners has offices around the world and our highly talented team is drawn from more than fifty nations. However, creativity and personal service are best nurtured by the compact group where ‘small is beautiful’. The resolution of these apparently conflicting ideals is mirrored in the practice’s structure.

The strategic direction of the practice is guided by the management board. Members of this board are: chairman and founder, Norman Foster; chief executive, Mouzhan Majidi; Spencer de Grey and David Nelson, joint heads of design, as well as fourteen senior partners. The practice is organised into six design groups. Each is led by a design director, supported by a deputy group leader. The design groups are not restricted by building type or geographical location, each group has a diverse cross-section of projects – large and small – around the world.

The design of each project is reviewed regularly, both formally and informally. This process takes place under the direction of the design board, who review the design output in relation to the original brief and any changes agreed during the course of its development. The board is chaired by Norman Foster and, in his absence, design authority rests with heads of design, David Nelson and Spencer de Grey. Mouzhan Majidi and Armstrong Yakubu, are also permanent members of the board and, to ensure consistency and encourage a shared knowledge base, they are joined by the six design directors and partner, Narinder Sagoo.

Creating a sustainable built environment is crucial. To achieve this, environmental and structural engineering needs to be integrated into any project at the outset of the design process. We have been continuing to develop our range of skills and capabilities in order to provide a comprehensive design service to our clients. We believe architects and engineers working together can learn from one another and grow in combined knowledge to deliver better buildings. The practice therefore incorporates two teams of engineers; a structural engineering group, led by senior partner, Roger Ridsdill Smith and an environmental engineering design group, led by senior partner Piers Heath.

From appointment to completion, the design groups are supported by a number of in-house disciplines; a project management group, contract management and construction review panel, as well as a strategic consultancy group, who undertake space planning and post-occupancy research and analysis. The practice also has an information centre with a comprehensive materials research library that helps architects to select products and initiates the use of new materials, ensuring that we have the knowledge base to create inspirational as well as sustainable buildings. Foster + Partners is concerned with quality in every detail, from the design of interiors to individual products, furniture and lighting solutions. An industrial design group within the studio designs and develops products for manufacture, which range from an ink pen to an entire suite of bathroom furniture.

The advent of digital technologies has allowed us to design and build structures with complex geometric forms that would not have been feasible as little as twenty years ago. The practice’s specialist modelling group has advanced 3D computer modelling capabilities that allows architects to explore and test design solutions rapidly using 3D printers and to communicate data to consultants and contractors. While new technologies have transformed the way we work, traditional model making still plays a crucial role and the practice has three model shops, capable of producing everything from sketch models to full size mock-ups. In communicating the design concept, these groups are complemented by dedicated communications, graphic design and visualisation teams.

Since the 1970s, the practice has pioneered a sustainable approach to architecture through a wide range of work, from urban masterplans to product design. Today, we aim to create a sustainability profile for every project. This development tool allows design teams to determine targets and methods at the start of a project and to record results at the end. This information is collated in a database that can be accessed throughout the practice to inform subsequent projects.

Our sustainability forum was established to promote the use of sustainable technologies and methods throughout the practice. The forum is part of the research and development group, whose role is to ensure that the practice remains at the forefront of architectural innovation. It is an interdisciplinary working group, with representatives from the six design groups, the information centre, communications, and research departments. Our commitment to research and training ensures that we remain up-to-date with new knowledge and techniques and can evaluate their relevance and appropriateness for individual projects. These measures make sure that environmental awareness is an integral part of the practice’s culture as it evolves to meet the challenges of the future.