As an architect you design for the
present, with an awareness of the past
for a future which is essentially
unknown.
-Norman foster
SUBMITTED
BY-
SHRIKANT
B.ARCH 2YEAR
HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE (AP-224)

 BIOGRAPHY
 AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
 LIST OF PROJECTS
 PHILOSOPHY
 DESIGN ELEMENTS
 FIVE BUILDINGS-
1. ST MARY AXE (THE GHERKIN)
2. LONDON CITY HALL
3. THE RIECHSTAG
4. HEARTH TOWER
5. COMMERZBANK TOWER
 CONCLUSION

• Norman Foster was born in Manchester, England in 1935.
• He went to private school and grammar school but left early to
earn a living.
• After leaving school he worked for two years in the city
treasurer’s office, studied commercial law.
• He entered Manchester University School of Architecture
and City Planning when he was 21 (1956) and graduated in
1961.
• Later he got a fellowship at Yale School of Architecture, and
completed his masters under Richard Rogers, also his future
business partner.
• In 1953 he served the Royal Air Force, driven by his passion for
Aircrafts
• In 1963 he set up practice in United Kingdom, under the name
of Team 4,which later became Foster+ Partners.
• He is one of the most High Tech architects of present time.
• Foster Associates (now known as Foster and Partners) was
founded in 1967 and now has offices in London, Berlin, and
Singapore, with over 500 employees worldwide.
• Worked at treasurer’s office at Town hall.

Foster and Partners has received over 190 awards and has won
over 50 national and international competitions.
• Foster was Knighted in 1990. Also he was made life peer in
1999-as Lord Baron Foster of Thames Bank.
• In 1994- awarded the AIA Gold Medal
• Second British architect to have won Sterling Prize twice.
• Awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1999
• In 2009 – Prince of Asturias Award, for Arts
He has received numerous more awards and recognition for his
works over his lifetime.

LIST OF
PROJECTS-
 He constructed more than 90+ building .
 His first building constructed in 1967, Reliance Controls factory, Swindon, UK;
joint project with Richard Rogers.
 Some of his famous works-
SwissTowerRE-2004– London,England Apple Park-2017-Cupertino,UnitedStates

HearstTower 2006New York,
UnitedStates
CityHall2002London,EnglandCommerzbankTower1997
Frankfurt,Germany

Millau Viaduct Beijing Airport-2007-
Beijing, China
2014, CityCenterDC,
Washington, D.C

“THE BEST ARCHITECTURE COMES FROM A
SYNTHESIS OF ALL THE ELEMENTS THAT
SEPARATELY COMPRISE A BUILDING…” - FOSTER
•The structure that holds it up;
•The services that allow it to work;
• The ecology of the building –Naturally ventilated, whether you can open the windows,
•The materials used, their mass or their lightness;
•The character of the spaces;
•The relationship of the buildings to the skyline or streetscape;
•The way in which the building signals its presence in the city or the countryside.
•“The quality of our surroundings has a direct influence on the quality of our lives”.
• The process of ‘reinvention’ distinguishes all of his work – past and present – and
design responsibly – whether that is at the scale of an airport or a door handle.

Designs are environmentally friendly. His design process includes ways to
reduce elements that are harmful to the environment such as carbon dioxide
emissions, greenhouse gases and fuel consumption. Foster’s designs have many
bold shapes and uses colour to enhance and emphasize his work includes -
everything from door handles and tables to airports, bridges, and office buildings.
High-tech:
using high-tech equipment and pushing the edge of structural engineering and
architectural designing. High-tech buildings are more flexible, more distinctive
and energy efficient
Light :
•Through collection of light, individuals feel close to nature.
•Consideration of light and its effects on the structure.
•His commercial buildings have a central atrium that draws light to the core of
the building.
•In Reichstag, Foster uses light to remind German citizens that building
serves as their democratic center.
Layers:
Foster likes to play with different layers sending message. The Reichstag has
public viewing areas above political buildings to send the message that-
politics should work to support thecitizen. Reichstag also layers the idea of
old and new.
• Strength of size
• Curved lines
• Open planned
• Use of natural light
• Wide range of building material
• Attention to detail
• Flexible space
• Green power: wind and solar
• Energy saving measures
• Improve indoor air quality
• Water conservation
• Renewal building material

 30 St Mary Axe, better known as the Gherkin because is floor plan resembleda sliced pickle.
 Flexible and environmentally sound office space in London.
 London’s first ecological green tall building. It is the second highest building in the City of London.
 The site of the 30 St Mary Axe building lies at the heart of the City.
 Floors: 41.Floors Height: 180 meters
 Estimated actual area : 516,100 sq. ft.
 The Gherkin is elongated, curved, shaft with a rounded.
 It is covered uniformlyaround the outside with glass panels and is rounded off at the corners.It has a lens-like
dome at the top that serves as a type of observation deck.
 Sitecontext –
1. Highest design quality that would makea real
contribution to the urban environment of the City,
2. limitation of time
3. Trafficlimited accessibility

CONCEPT
Norman was inspired by the design of
aircraftsand the waythat streamlined
bodies interacted with wind.
The seemingly expressionist facade was
actually developed through air flow
testing (ARUP engineering).
UNIQUEFORM
The cigar shapeprofile respond to specific demands
of small site.It appearslessbulkythan a conventional
rectangular block. The slim base reduces reflections
and increasesdaylight penetration. The rounded
shape also prevents winds from being deflected &
maintains a comfortable spacein the public plaza.
Building shape allows for natural light

SUSTAINABILITYANDVENTILATION
Differing air pressures and double skin façade allow for natural ventilation. Six
spiraling light wells allow daylight to flood down onto the floors. Windows open
when external temperature is between 20°C and 26°C and wind speed is less
than 10 mph. Window and blinds are computer controlled. Solar blindsto
reclaimor reject heat.
CIRCULATION
Each of the two main stairwells contains 1,037 stairs.
The 23 lifts vary in velocity from 1 meter per second to 6 meters per second.

MATERIALS
In the construction of this building they havebeen used 10thousandtonsof
which 29% corresponds to the structural diagonally 24%to centralcolumn
and 47%for beam. The foundation beam 750mmin diameter,333pilesand
5500glass panels diamond shaped.
CONNECTIONS
Diagrid is connector that transfer load both vertically
and horizontally at nodes which is rigid monolithic and
welded together present at intersection member.

SECTION ELEVATIONPLAN

• It is Located in London, England and completed in 2002 with size 130,000sq. ft.
• CONCEPT- The slices of potato was the key
concept for the city hall.
• The distinctive outer shell and unique frameworkwith 10 story.
• Oval form enables the building to performconsuming only the minimum amount of energy necessary.
• FORM- The exterior forma desireto reduce the total glasssurfacearea of building. In general,a
spherical building consumes 25% less energy. Therefore,the solar heat gainand heat loss through
building envelope is minimized.The bulbous nature of the building helps to reduce its outer surface area
and thereby requireless energy to heat

MATERIAL
• Use of steel formworkfor the slab results in
reduction ofcosts construction. It was constructed
using over 4 tonesof steeland 13,100squaremetersof
concrete.
• During construction, 2 largepipeswere installed that
tapped into the water table of River Thames which
circulatecold water from pipes throughout the
building during the summer months as a cooling
device which greatly lessened the energy impact.
CIRCULATION
The entirety of the building is
accessible by a helical staircase that
runs 500 meters to the top floor.
SECTION

LEGENDS:
1. Parking
2. Storage rooms
3. Physical plant
4. Outdoor amphitheater
5. Cafe
6. Information desk
7. Kitchen
8. Exhibition area
9. Committee room
10. Meeting room
11. Media center
12. Reception
13. Assembly chamber
14. Public viewing gallery
15. Library
16. Reading room
17. IT room
18. Office
19. Open - plan area
20. Terrace
21. London's Room

 It was opened in 1894and housed the Reichstaguntil 1933when it was severely damagedin afire. After
WorldWarII, Itwas rendered useless.
 The ruined building was made safe against the elementsand partially refurbished in the 1960s, but no
attempt at full restoration was made until after German reunificationon October 3, 1990.
 The challenges met by Foster were
1. Torestore damage
2. Totake what was left of the old building and make it look new again.
3. Toshow what once happened to the building, to show it’s history
4. He handles this very sensitively.
5. Since it was a part of the German history, a part of that building, which should not be wiped
out.

ROOF
• It is having the symbolicimportof unification, ecological function
by collectingand conserving solar energy and also handling
natural ventilation
• Obsession with light
• This dome funnels light into the building during the daytime.
• Dome is completely transparent,suggesting that democracy should
be transparent and inviting.
• It would work with the winds, sun, shade.
• It would also celebrate,a processional route to the summit, for the
visitors who come to the cupola.
• The Dome symbolizesthat the people are above the government. USEOFHIGH-TECHNOLOGY
• All of the elements in the building were computer tested and even the dome was
subjected to computer wind simulations in order to maximize space and minimize
excess.
• Its power station also burns a speciallinseedfuel mixture, based on cornoil, not
fossil fuels, minimizing energy consumption.
• At night the mirrors, which bring daylight into the chamberwork in reverse by
acting as a signal on the skyline to show that Parliament was in session.

OLDSKYSCRAPER ADDITIONOFA NEW
STRUCTURE
NEWSKYSCRAPER
• IT WAS A 6-STOREYSTONE FACADE DESIGNED
BY AR. JOSEPH URBANAS THE
HEADQUARTERS FOR THE HEARST
CORPORATION.
• BUILDING WAS INITIALLY INTENDED TO SERVE
AS THE BASE FOR A SKYSCRAPEREXPANSION
IN THE 1920’s.
• BEING THE TALLEST SKYSCRAPERERECTED
AFTER 9/11, THE NEW HEARST TOWER HAD TO
SERVE AS A POWERFUL SYMBOL OF BUSINESS
PROGRESSION.
AN IMPORTANT DESIGN
SPECIFICATION WAS THE
PRESERVATION OF THE EXISTING
LANDMARK FACADE AND ITS
INCORPORATION INTO THE NEW
TOWER DESIGN.
THE BUILDING TRUELY SEEMS
CELEBRATING THE MARRIAGE OF
THE OLD AND THE NEW TYPE OF
ARCHITECTURE.

SECTIONAL ELEVATION
FIRST TO TENTH FLOOR STRUCTURE
• HAS 2 DISTINCT ZONES:
1. ZONE BELOW 10TH
FLOOR CONTAINS
ENTRANCE AT STREET
LEVEL, LOBBY AND
CAFETERIA.
2. AUDITORIUM AT THE
3RF FLOOR WITH AN
APPROXIMATE 80 FT.
HIGH INTERIOR OPEN
SPACE.
• THE TOWER IS CONNECTED TO
THE EXISTING LANDMARK
FACADE AT THE 7TH LEVEL BY
THE HORIZONTAL SKYLIGHT
SYSTEM SPANING
APPROXIMATELY 40 FT.
ELEVATION

DIAGRIDSYSTEM
FREEFORM
Since the west side of the building is close to another skyscraper, the service core was put at the
west side. As a result, the eastern edge of the building couldn’t be reinforcedby a central core.
In orderto eliminate the structural disadvantage of this unsymmetricalform,the structures on
the perimeterwere designed as diagrid system. The diagrid structural system can provide
sufficientsupport for the building facade to resist lateral forces.

The tallest building in Europe,demonstratesthat sustainable energy conscious designis
possible at the scale of the skyscraper.
 Developmentof plan
1. The plan of the tower is triangular,giving the formof three “petals”with a central“stem.”
2. central atrium space.
3. layout includesa core area for circulation,mechanical, and other basic building needs.
4. core functionswere pushed to the outer cornersof the building to make way for the atrium space.
5. bringslight directly to the interiorofficesand the heart of the structure.
PLAN

Height
Antenna spire 300.1 m (985 ft)
Roof 258.7 m (849 ft)
Technical details
Floor count 56
Floor area 109,200 m
2
(1,175,00
0 sq. ft.)
Structural Material Core: Reinforced
Concrete
Columns: Steel
Floor Spanning: Steel
SECTION
SKY GARDEN

• ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE IN DESIGNS AND CREATES ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE
BUILDINGS.
•HE USES LINES TO FORM ORGANICSHAPES.
 SKELETONOF THE OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING IS VISIBLE TO THEEYE RATHER THAN
HIDING IT .
•MANY SPACES INSIDE ARE ENCLOSED IN GLASS AND ALMOSTCAUSE YOU TO FEEL
AS THOUGH YOU AREOUTSIDE.
•PUTS A LOT OF THOUGHTINTO-HOW HIS DESIGNS WILLMAKE US FEEL ONCE YOU’RE
INTERACTING WITH THEM THROUGH THE USE OF DIFFERENTMATERIALS ANDTHE
SPACEOF ANAREA
•MANY OF HIS DESIGNS HAVE BEEN NAMED ASA“LANDMARK”