Norman Foster (born 1935 in Manchester) is Britain’s most prolific high-tech architect and the 1999 Pritzker Prize laureate. Through Foster + Partners, founded in 1967, he has delivered era-defining structures on every continent — the Gherkin and the Reichstag dome, the Millau Viaduct, Hearst Tower and Apple Park. The 25 projects below chart how engineering-led design made him an industry leader for six decades.
Norman Foster’s Famous Works at a Glance
| Project | Location | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 30 St Mary Axe (The Gherkin) | London, UK | 2004 |
| Reichstag, New German Parliament (dome & renovation) | Berlin, Germany | 1999 |
| City Hall | London, UK | 2002 |
| Hearst Tower | New York City, USA | 2006 |
| HSBC Main Building | Hong Kong | 1985 |
| Crystal Island (unbuilt) | Moscow, Russia | 2007 design |
| Great Court, British Museum | London, UK | 2000 |
| Beijing Capital International Airport, Terminal 3 | Beijing, China | 2008 |
| Canary Wharf Underground Station | London, UK | 1999 |
| Millau Viaduct | Millau, France | 2004 |
| Citibank Headquarters | Canary Wharf, London, UK | 1999 |
| Apple Park | Cupertino, California, USA | 2017 |
| Zayed National Museum | Abu Dhabi, UAE | 2025 |
| Metro Bilbao | Bilbao, Spain | 1995 |
| Commerzbank Tower | Frankfurt, Germany | 1997 |
| The Bow | Calgary, Canada | 2012 |
| Palace of Peace and Reconciliation | Astana, Kazakhstan | 2006 |
| U2 Tower (unbuilt) | Dublin, Ireland | 2007 design |
| Willis Faber & Dumas Headquarters | Ipswich, UK | 1975 |
| Reichstag interior & cupola (public realm) | Berlin, Germany | 1999 |
| Crossrail Place, Canary Wharf | London, UK | 2015 |
| Droneport prototype | Rwanda (Venice Biennale prototype) | 2016 |
| SkyCycle (concept) | London, UK | 2014 design |
| Lunar Habitation (ESA concept) | Concept study | 2013 |
| Ireo City master plan | Gurgaon, India | — |
The Norman Foster Foundation promotes interdisciplinary thinking and research to help new generations of architects, designers and urbanists to anticipate the future. The foundation, which opened in June 2017, is based in Madrid and operates globally. Foster + Partners maintains an international design practice famous for high-tech architecture. In 1999, Norman Foster was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize. In 2009, Foster was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award in the Arts category. In 1994, he received the AIA gold medal.
1. The Gherkin (30 St Mary Axe) | Norman Foster
Year: 2003 Type: Office Location: St. Mary Axe, London, United Kingdom
2. Reichstag Building | Norman Foster Buildings
Year: 1999 Type: Government Location: Berlin
3. City Hall, London
Year: 2002 Type: Town Hall Location: The Queen’s Walk, London, SE1, United Kingdom
4. Hearst Tower, New York
Year: 2006 Type: Office Location: 300 West 57th Street, Manhattan, New York
5. HSBC Main Building, Hong Kong
Year: 1985 Type: Commercial Office Location: 1Queen’s Road, Central, Hong Kong
6. Crystal Island, Russia | Norman Foster
Year: Proposed Type: Mixed-use Location: Moscow, Russia
7. Great Court of British Museum, UK
Year: 2000 Type: Cultural Location: London, UK
8. Beijing Capital International Airport, China | Norman Foster Buildings
Year: 2008 Type: Transportational Location: Beijing, China
9. Canary Wharf Tube Station, United Kingdom
Year: 1999 Type: Transportation Location: Canary Wharf, London E14, 5NY, UK
10. Millau Viaduct, France | Norman Foster
Year: 2004 Type: Transport & Infrastructure Location: Millau-Creissels, Aveyron, France
11. Citibank Headquarters, China | Norman Foster
Year: 2017 Type: Office Location: Hangzhou, China
12. Apple Park, US
Year: 2017 Type: Cultural Location: 10600 N Tantau Ave, Cupertino, CA 95014, US
13. Zayed National Museum, UAE | Norman Foster Buildings
Year: 2020 Type: National museum Location: Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
14. Metro Bilbao, Spain
Year: 1995 Type: Transportation Location: 4800, NafarroaKalea, 2, 48001 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
15. Commerzbank Tower, Germany | Norman Foster
Year: 1997 Type: Commercial Offices Location: Kaiserplatz 1, Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany
16. The Bow (Skyscraper), Canada
Year: 2012 Type: Office Location: 500 Centre Street SE,Calgary,Alberta,Canada
17. Palace of Peace and Reconciliation
Year: 2006 Type: Public Location: Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan
18. U2 Tower | Norman Foster Buildings
Year: Proposed Type: Apartment Location: Dublin, Ireland
19. Willis Headquarters, UK
Year: 2008 Type: Commercial Skyscraper Location: London, EC3, United Kingdom
20. Reichstag, New German Parliament, Germany | Norman Foster
Year: 1999 Type: Civic Location: Berlin, Germany
21. Cross rail Place Canary Wharf | Norman Foster
Year: 2020 Type: Transportation Location: West India Quay, Canary Wharf
22. Drone port | Norman Foster Buildings
Year: 2015 Type: Industrial Location: Central African Republic
23. Skycycle, UK
Year: 2013 Type: Industrial Location: London, UK
24. Lunar Habitation, Space
Year: 2012 Type: Industrial Location: Space
25. Ireo City, Gurgaon, India | Norman Foster
Year: 2018 Type: Commercial Location: Gurgaon, HR, India
Frequently Asked Questions About Norman Foster
Who is Norman Foster?
Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank (born 1 June 1935, Manchester), is Britain’s most decorated living architect — founder of Foster + Partners, Pritzker laureate (1999) and the defining figure of high-tech architecture, still actively leading projects at 91.
What is Norman Foster’s most famous building?
London’s 30 St Mary Axe — “the Gherkin” (2004) — is his most recognisable, alongside the Reichstag dome in Berlin (1999), the HSBC Headquarters in Hong Kong (1985), Hearst Tower in New York (2006) and Apple Park in Cupertino (2017).
What is Norman Foster’s style?
High-tech architecture matured into what he calls sustainable design: exposed structure, vast light-filled atria, engineering elegance and early green thinking — from the naturally ventilated Commerzbank Tower to the solar-conscious Reichstag cupola.
Which awards has Norman Foster won?
The Pritzker Prize (1999), the RIBA Royal Gold Medal (1983), the AIA Gold Medal (1994) and a life peerage (1999). His Millau Viaduct in France, the world’s tallest bridge deck, won global engineering honours.
Is Norman Foster still working in 2026?
Very much so. At 90 he personally led the team that won the competition for the UK’s national Memorial to Queen Elizabeth II in St James’s Park (2025), whose final design was unveiled in April 2026; he also runs the Norman Foster Foundation in Madrid. See where he ranks among the 20 greatest architects in the world, or compare with fellow engineering poet Santiago Calatrava.
Sources for the 2026 update
Dezeen, “Foster + Partners selected to design Queen Elizabeth II memorial” (2025) and “Foster + Partners reveals final design for Queen Elizabeth II memorial” (2026). The Pritzker Architecture Prize, “Norman Foster, 1999 Laureate” (2026). Wikipedia, “Foster and Partners” (2026).
