Walker 1 Corbett Walker Lynn M.

Raymond ENGL 1103 10/26/13 Norman Foster, the Architect In our lives we hear and see things that we would never expect. We live lives that we never thought we would live. And we do things that we never thought we would do. Now I would like to give you a perfect example of a person who did all these things, and his name is Norman Foster. Norman Foster grew up in Manchester, England. His father, Robert, worked at MetropolitanVickers at Trafford Park which fuelled his interest in engineering and design (Norman Foster). But Norman never really declared, I want to be an Architect. His story is actually a little bit different. In 1951, Norman passed the Entrance Exam which allowed him to become an office junior at Manchesters town hall. This however did not last too long. During his breaks from the office, Foster would walk around the city looking at buildings and landscapes because they were something of interest to him, just not a career he had thought of. In an interview with Norman, he told Allison Beard, Working in Manchester when I was younger, I spent every spare minute wandering around buildings in the city. I wasnt consciously thinking, One day I am going to be an architect; therefore I should be doing this. I was just drawn to them (Beard, Allison). While in his office, he would also do sketches of his observations through a window. This did not go unnoticed, one of the clerks, named Mr. Cobb, was aware of what Norman was doing. This person was someone who may have given Norman a bit of a spark that lead him to Architecture. Norman soon enough resigned from this job and after a few years of serving in the

Walker 2 Air Force, and was lead to an architect by the name of John Beardstow. It was here where Norman started to do things that he never thought he would do. At this architecture firm, Norman started out as being an assistant to a contract manager; a position that he maintained, but soon enough, was ready for a new change. He realized through this job that being an architect was what he wanted to be, it was what he wanted to do. Normans next big dream was to go to architect school. He put a portfolio together, but instead of college being his next step, he was promoted at his architecture firm. Not too long later, Norman was ready for college. He was accepted into the University of Manchester School of Architecture in 1956 and went on to graduate in 1961. Throughout his life, he has been influenced by some very important people such as Richard Fuller, an architect that designed the widely known geodesic dome (Buckminster) and Olt Aicher a German font designer. Since Norman graduated, he has not only worked for another firm, but also opened up one of his own, Foster and Partners, with his wife Wendy Cheesman. This company has soared and has won over 627 awards since 1967. Foster himself has been awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the Royal Gold Medal, and the AIA Gold Medal. Foster and Partners is based in London but also has sites in 22 other countries and has among it 45 nationalities. This allows them to work with many different clients. With this company, Norman has designed many acclaimed buildings and structures such as the 30 St. Mary Axe which is the headquarters for the Swiss Re, the worlds second-largest reinsurer (Monks, Matthew). This building stands on the site of where the Baltic exchange once was and stands 591 feet tall. Another substantial structure that was designed by Norman Foster is the worlds tallest bridge being 1,125 feet above its base. It is located in Southern France over the valley of the River Tarn. The Mayor of Millau, Jacques Godfrain, said, "The architect, Norman Foster, gave us a model of art"(Norman Foster), but these

Walker 3 are only two of Fosters 250 plus works. Now what about Normans creative process? It is one that is quite simple yet greatly efficient. When Norman is about to start a new design, he first starts off with a blank slate, which could be from a piece of paper to a few blocks of foam. He then delves himself deep into the project and thinks about what aspects are important to the building. Who will be occupying it, where will it be located, and most importantly to him; what is the spirit of the building? With these questions in mind he also spends time doing research and observations all of which are relevant to the project. I will also mention that when he is designing, His intention is to retain control over forms and materials (Treiber, Daniel). Now Norman is also a very effective influence, as of now and will continues to be. As I have listened to Norman and read about him, I have thought about my circumstances. When Norman was in school, he had to acquire several part-time jobs because money was an issue, but he also still completely devoted himself to architecture. He spent numerous hours in the library and plenty of time outside making observations of the buildings and structures around him. As I learn more about him, all I can think is, if he was able to do all of this, so can I. This gives me a push to go deeper into my studies and become a better architect. Then what about his reputation? I think that Normans reputation will be well known throughout the rest of this century and into the next. He has placed his mark all over the world through buildings and structures of all kinds. I can only imagine that they will continue to have a lasting impact on everyone that sees them. I also will say that his works will be around for a very long time and through them people will not only remember what kind of an architect he was, but also how he influenced and inspired. Norman Foster may not have much time left as he is now in his late 70s but will still be here in spirit for years and years to come.

Walker 4 Works Cited Beard, Allison. "Lifes Work: Norman Foster." Hbr.org. Harvard Business Review, Mar. 2011. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. "Buckminster Fuller." Wikipedia.com. Wikipedia, 22 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. Monks, Matthew, and Carolyn Bandel. "Swiss Re Said to Weigh Sale of U.S. Life Insurance Assets." Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg, 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. "Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank." Wikipedia.com. Wikipedia, 24 Oct. 2013. Web. 26 Oct. 2013. Treiber, Daniel. Norman Foster. London: E & FN Spon, 1995. Print. 52.