Photo: Diario de Madrid / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Norman Foster is, to my mind, one of the few architects whose name genuinely reshaped skylines. From modest beginnings in Stockport, he became the standard-bearer of high-tech architecture, draping steel and glass into structures that feel weightless yet rigorously engineered. The Pritzker, the Praemium Imperiale, a wall of honors, all earned. What impresses me most is not any single building but the consistency of vision across decades, and the fact that he remains creatively active near ninety. I admire how his work makes the future feel inhabitable rather than cold. Foster proves that ambition and restraint can share the same drafting table.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Norman Foster
- Name (Japanese)
- ノーマン・フォスター
- Reading
- のーまん・ふぉすたー
- Born
- June 1, 1935 (age 91)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Boar
- Origin
- Stockport, United Kingdom
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- architect / politician / designer / film actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- University of Manchester
Awards & achievements
- 2002 Pour le Mérite for Sciences and Arts order
- 1995 Order of Merit of North Rhine-Westphalia
- Order of Merit
- 1999 Pritzker Architecture Prize
- 1999 Knight Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- 2004 Prince Philip Designers Prize
- 2015 Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts
- 2002 Praemium Imperiale
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Commerzbank Tower | — | |
| Notable work | Gerling Ring-Karree | — | |
| Notable work | Canary Wharf | — | |
| Notable work | Carré d'art | — | |
| Notable work | Old City Hall | — | |
| Notable work | 2 World Trade Center | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Norman Foster born?
Born June 1, 1935 (age 91).
Where is Norman Foster from?
Norman Foster is from Stockport, United Kingdom.
What does Norman Foster do?
Norman Foster works as architect, politician, designer, film actor.
What is Norman Foster known for?
Notable works include Commerzbank Tower, Gerling Ring-Karree, Canary Wharf.
Architect — see all → · Politician — see all → · More people from United Kingdom →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.