Nigel Dancey studied architecture at Oxford Polytechnic and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Washington DC, graduating in 1989 with a first class honours degree. He joined Foster + Partners in 1990 and during his time at the office has been involved in many national and international projects.

He was the architect in charge of numerous competitions including IG Metall, Frankfurt; Oita Stadium, Japan; Jiushi Tower, Shanghai and the Museum of Modern Art, Houston and his built projects include Yaraicho; a pair of office buildings in Tokyo, Japan and car showrooms and service centres for Samsung Motors in Seoul, Korea. He was project architect for the Joslyn Art Museum addition in Omaha, Nebraska and was promoted to Associate in 1993 and to Project Director the following year.

He subsequently worked on the Robert Gordon University Faculty of Management in Aberdeen, and Stanford University’s Center for Clinical Sciences Research laboratory and the award-winning Clark Center multi-disciplinary laboratory building. He was the project director responsible for the £200m McLaren Technology Centre Headquarters and Visitor & Learning Centre in Woking, Surrey.

He was promoted to senior partner and Group 6 leader in 2004, and is currently responsible for a large team of architects working on a wide range of international projects, including the recently commissioned EnCana Headquarters in Calgary, the lifestyle hotel for MGM Las Vegas, a mixed-use sustainable tower in Vancouver and the Faculty of Pharmacy in Toronto. He also worked on the Palace of Peace project in Kazakhstan, and Sovereign Bay – a new marina and residential development in Gibraltar. Two key UK-based projects are Langley Academy in Slough and the Silken Group’s Aldwych Hotel in Central London.

He was recently awarded an Honorary Senior Fellowship by the Design Futures Council and became an executive director of the practice in 2007.