Building for Life
Baron Foster of
Thames Bank turned 90 on June 1st. He has left his mark on the architectural
landscape of the world, collaborating with fellow architects and many
designers. One cannot help but be in awe of how imagination on paper becomes
the realisation you can behold.
In one of his iconic
buildings, where I used to have lunch in the 1990s, the Willis Building
in Ipswich, with black curtain walls contrasting with a yellow and green
interior, went on to become the youngest Grade I listed building in the UK.
I remember visiting
Berlin and observing how a Foster and Rogers project in that city seemed like
you hire Norman Foster
to transform a monument into a modern masterpiece, as he did with the Reichstag building,
and Richard Rogers
to create a monument by building a modern masterpiece, as he did with the Daimler
complex.
Everything left to
achieve
Architecture has
always interested me, but that is not the primary focus of this blog.
Interviewed for the Architects’ Journal in May, this last exchange—question and
answer—offered an insightful perspective on the man himself.
Gino Spocchia: You’re
about to turn 90, an achievement in its own right. As an architect, do you feel
there is anything left for you to achieve?
Norman Foster: I've
got everything left to achieve. That’s an impossible question. [Architects’
Journal: Norman Foster at 90: ‘I have everything left to achieve’]
My journey to this
interview was influenced by listening to Richard Rogers on Desert Island Discs
yesterday; he was interviewed in March 1990, and he spoke about his early partnership
with Norman Foster, then winning the Pompidou Centre
competition with Renzo
Piano, and Su Rogers.
[BBC Sounds: Desert Island
Discs – Richard Rogers]
Propinquity to
serendipity
In the 20 years I
have visited Paris and sat for brunch on the first floor of Café
Beaubourg that overlooks the space in front of the Pompidou Centre, I have
only observed people and never entered the centre itself. Richard Rogers passed
away at 88 in 2021.
I suppose one first
considers the blessing and fortune of good health at such an age, to continue
to have zest for life and a purposefulness that suggests you believe you still
have much to do and give.
Thinking of
continuing potential
For Norman Foster,
advanced age is not an end; he embraces a philosophy of ongoing potential,
rejecting the cultural narrative that achievement belongs primarily to youth.
Meaningful accomplishment remains possible at any stage of life. Retirement is
not a part of this man’s vocabulary.
For someone turning
90, this perspective embodies:
- A refusal to be defined solely by past accomplishments
- An understanding that wisdom and experience create unique opportunities
- A rejection of artificial timelines for meaningful contribution
- An embracing of new goals suited to current capabilities
- Finding purpose in mentorship, creative expression, or personal growth
I am deeply inspired
by this mindset, as I contemplate returning to university to learn from and
engage with youthful insights and young minds. I am convinced of the importance
of lifelong learning and continuous engagement with a world of possibilities.
Norman Foster
exemplifies this life-affirming stance beautifully; if we have consciousness,
will, health, and resources, we retain the capacity for meaningful achievement.
It is clear he enjoys what he does and will continue for as long as he can.
Belated happy birthday, Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank.
References
20th
Century Architecture: Norman Foster