David Nelson

Senior Executive Partner, Head of Design

RCA (MA)

David Nelson is a Senior Executive Partner, Head of Design and a member of the Design Board, a position he has held since 2004. Throughout his long career with Foster + Partners, he has played a key role in shaping its creative and operational direction. He has been involved in some of the practice’s most recognisable buildings, from the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Headquarters to Apple Park in Cupertino, as well as high profile projects in China, Singapore and Korea. As a member of the Design Board, David has an overview of every project. Each one benefits from the collective knowledge and expertise of Foster + Partners’ architects and specialist teams. The Design Board is at the heart of the design process, guiding and supporting teams, questioning, maintaining quality and focusing the practice’s collective experience at all stages. His understanding of the studio’s evolution, his open, collaborative mindset and continued leadership role has made David a key figure in Foster + Partners’ evolution; he also brings a global perspective, gained from living in Hong Kong and travelling extensively to construction sites and projects across the world.

David Nelson

In this studio our Specialist Design Services enhance the well-established role of what an architectural team has to achieve. Combining evermore diverse skills into the development of projects enriches and adds great meaning to everything we do. Continual development of shared experience is crucial.

Project Experience

SETA, Mattiazzi

2023

Red Dot Design Museum

1997

Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Headquarters

1986

Deutsche Bank Place

2005

American Air Museum

1997

EVA, Lumina

2016

EVE, Lumina

2019

Arc, Molteni&C

2010

Chesham Place

2008

The Murezzan

2007

Tiers, Escofet

2024

AYA, Benchmark

2023

Gabriela Hearst store furniture

2019

Desk Z, UniFor

2023

MA, Falper

2023

Lumiere Apartments

2007

Tia, Lumina

2019

LG SIGNATURE OLED TV R, LG Electronics

2019

Vicino, Molteni&C

2015

Elephant House, Copenhagen Zoo

2008

Gather, Escofet

2024

Nanshan Technology Finance City

2019

Foster 500/505 series, Walter Knoll

2006

Shanghai Jiushi Corporation

2001

Thames Hub

2011

Shelving X, UniFor

2023

OXMAN Studio

2024

The Corniche

2019

Marine Simulator Centre

1993

Djanogly City Academy

2005