Foreign Office Architects was a London-based architectural practice founded by Farshid Moussavi and Alejandro Zaera-Polo in 1993. Their rise to international acclaim came after winning the Yokohama Port terminal competition in Japan where they integrated cutting-edge computational techniques, with new forms, materials and spatial imagination. Their philosophy suggested a departure from conventional typologies and explored crafting spaces that reflected modern life complexities. They had a diverse portfolio across varying scales, typologies and regions.
Farshid Moussavi and Alejandro Zaera-Polo studied and met at the prestigious Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. They shared a similar vision of exploring architecture’s intertwined relationship with technology and culture. The ‘foreign’ in the Foreign Office Architects reflected their heritage – Moussavi being Iranian and Zaera-Polo from Spain, studied architecture from the USA and set up their ‘Foreign’ office in London.
Yokohama International Passenger Terminal
The winning entry and the eventual construction of the Yokohama Port Terminal in Japan were considered landmark projects and landed numerous awards for Foreign Office Architects. Organised in three vertical levels, it stood in contrast to the typical rectangular block building and embraced a seamless hybrid non-cartesian geometry. The lowest level had car parking, the middle level housed the terminal functions, hall and lobby. Apart from being a functional port, the fluid–folding top-level roof of the terminal clad in wood is designed as a public space and creates a spatial continuity inviting visitors to move in unexplored ways. This project also known as Osanbashi Pier seamlessly blended the building and the surrounding landscape without blocking any of the views. This required the project to be conceived in sections rather than plans with complex surfaces curving and folding to form a series of pathways, roofs, and apertures. A unique system of structure with folded metal plate and concrete girder was employed and minimal vertical support in the form of columns resulted in an open-plan layout. This structural scheme was also devised keeping in mind the lateral forces of seismic movement predominant in Japan. Inside too, it features the use of glass and strategically located skylights, thereby reducing the reliance on artificial lighting. This large expansive project of 430m long took 8 years to complete in 2002 and even required Foreign Office Architects to temporarily relocate their office near to site for easy supervision.
Material Innovation in Other Notable Projects
In Spain, the Carabanchel Social Housing Project in Madrid highlighted the Foreign Office Architect’s commitment to sustainable and socially responsive design. The project used bamboo louvres as a shading system, introducing a material and formal language that addressed both environmental performance and aesthetic appeal. This innovative approach to affordable housing underscored FOA’s belief in architecture’s potential to enhance everyday living while remaining mindful of ecological imperatives.
Foreign office architects’ projects often incorporated unconventional materials and explored novel constructional applications, creating surfaces and structures that challenged conventional architectural norms. The John Lewis Department Store and Cineplex in Leicester, UK, exemplify FOA’s inventive approach to façade design. The project utilised a tessellated cladding system of aluminium panels, generating a visually striking and environmentally responsive skin that contributed to the city’s architectural identity.
In their Southeast Coastal Park in Barcelona, Foreign Office Architects used the landscape as a generative element in architectural design like how they treated the Roof access of Yokohama Port Terminal. They transformed an industrial zone into a vibrant public space by reimaging the coastline with a series of artificial dunes, creating a dynamic landscape that fostered ecological renewal and recreational use. There was always a balance of ecological sensitivity and urban vitality in Foreign Office Architects’ work.
Legacy
Despite their remarkable success, Foreign Office Architects dissolved in December 2009 after the end of the marriage between its founders, Farshid Moussavi and Alejandro Zaera-Polo after which they both pursued independent careers. Moussavi established Farshid Moussavi Architecture (FMA) in 2011, focusing on projects that integrate theory with practice, while Zaera-Polo founded Alejandro Zaera-Polo Architecture (AZPML) with Maider Llaguno-Munitxa in 2011, emphasising innovative approaches to form and materiality. Moussavi has published four books – The Function of Ornament (2006), The Function of Form (2009), and The Function of Style (2014) along with Architecture & Micropolitics, Four Buildings, Farshid Moussavi Architecture 2010–2022 (2022). Zaera-Polo also published books during this time mainly – The Sniper’s Log. Architectural Chronicles of Generation X in 2013 and The Ecologies of the Building Envelope. A Material History and Theory of Architectural Surfaces in 2021. FOA’s legacy endures through their built works, writings, and the broader impact of their ideas. Their individual practices’ projects remain touchstones in the discourse on computational design, material experimentation, and urbanism.
