Talk:Foster and Partners

It should be noted that some of the glass front buildings of Foster and Partners sometimes "loose" their windows ("honey, we just lost a window again"), examples are 30 St Mary Axe and Haus der Wirtschaftsförderung in Duisburg, Germany - that's something you don't want to happen when you're just walking around those buildings. --Abdull 21:58, 19 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Well the article for 30 St Mary Axe already mentions its incident. Actually it is quite normal for new buildings, especially innovative ones, to have initial teathing problems. However it is usually more like a section of the roof that leaks — a window falling out has to be a bit of a concern.

It can be worse, in 1990 a window in the cockpit of a BAC 1-11 fell out at an altitude of 17,000 feet. The captain was partially sucked out of the plane and the First Officer had to make an emergency landing with one of the stewards holding on to the captain's legs (see for example this version of the story.) -- Solipsist 23:11, 19 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Image placement

What's with the freaky image placement in this article? Astronaut (talk) 13:14, 8 January 2009 (UTC)

External links modified

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External links modified

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Requested move 31 December 2018

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: not moved (closed by non-admin page mover) SITH (talk) 20:22, 7 January 2019 (UTC)

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Foster and Partners → Template:No redirect – Current name (see their website). WikiArticleEditor (talk) 17:56, 31 December 2018 (UTC)

• Oppose per WP:MOS-TM. The stylized version is read as "Foster and Partners" (not "Foster Plus Partners" or any other variant). The site you link is "www.fosterandpartners.com". Reliable sources are mixed but many use "and": The Guardian, The Telegraph, Norman Foster writing for CNN. Dekimasuよ! 18:46, 31 December 2018 (UTC)
• Oppose. Unpronounced stylizations should not be in article titles. Rreagan007 (talk) 20:49, 31 December 2018 (UTC)
• Oppose per WP:MOS-TM. and early close please. In ictu oculi (talk) 09:42, 1 January 2019 (UTC)

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The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

December 2023 proposal of edits

Hello, Wikipedians. I have a conflict of interest as an employee of Foster + Partners. This proposal verifies existing information on the page with reliable sources, and removes that which could not be verified. It should address all issues in the warning box, so it can be removed. Thank you for your valuable time.

1. Please replace the first sentence of the lead paragraph:

Foster and Partners (stylized as Foster + Partners) is a British international architecture firm based in London, England, founded in 1967 by Sir Norman Foster.

Change to:

Foster and Partners (displayed as Foster + Partners) is a British international architecture and integrated design firm based in London, England, founded in 1967 by Lord Norman Foster.

Reason:

The version I’m suggesting is based on high quality, secondary sources and removes the word “stylized,” which reads as promotional. I’ve added a citation because while the information does appear in the body of the article, it cites a single primary source. I have also updated Foster’s title as he is a member of Britain’s House of Lords.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 00:44, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

2. Please replace the second sentence in the lead paragraph:

Foster and Partners has designed many iconic buildings and structures around the world, including the Gherkin in London, the 1990s renovation of the Reichstag in Berlin, the Hearst Tower in New York City, the Hong Kong International Airport, and the Millau Viaduct in France.

Replace with:

Foster and Partners has designed buildings and structures including the Gherkin in London, the Hearst Tower in New York City, the 1990s renovation of the Reichstag in Berlin, the Millau Viaduct in France, and the Hong Kong International Airport.

Reason:

The version I’m suggesting removes promotional language like “iconic” and adds citations using prominent secondary sources. It also pares down the list of projects to avoid excessive detail.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 00:44, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

3. Please replace the first sentence of the second paragraph in the lead section:

In addition to architectural design, Foster and Partners is also involved in urban planning, interior design, industrial design, and graphics.

Replace with:

In addition to architectural design, the firm’s practice encompasses engineering and design.

Reason:

The version I’m suggesting pares down the list of the firm’s disciplines to areas that are supported by reliable secondary press sources, as well as adds necessary citations.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 00:44, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

4. Please replace the second sentence in the second paragraph of the lead section:

The firm employs over 1,400 staff, including architects, engineers, designers, and project managers, and has completed projects in more than 75 countries around the world.

Replace with:

As of 2021, the firm had approximately 1,500 employees, located in offices in multiple cities, including New York, Hong Kong, and Madrid.

Reason:

The existing sentence was out of date. The sentence I’ve suggested uses a reliable secondary source to cite the most recently available employment statistics as well as up-to-date examples of international offices. I couldn’t find a source explicitly stating the number of projects/countries that information was cut to avoid original research. The original sentence contains no citations, so I have added one.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 00:44, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

5. Please replace the third sentence of the second paragraph in the lead section:

The firm has won numerous awards for its work, including more than 620 awards and citations for excellence in design.

Replace with:

The firm has won the Pritzker Architecture Prize and the Stirling Prize.

Reason:

The existing version does not specify any specific awards that the firm has won. The new version here resolves that and provides good sourcing to justify the mentions of those specific awards.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 22:09, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

6. Please replace the first sentence of the first paragraph in the history section:

Established by Norman Foster as Foster Associates in 1967 shortly after leaving Team 4, the firm was renamed Sir Norman Foster and Partners Ltd in 1992 and shortened to Foster + Partners Ltd in 1999 to reflect the influence of the other lead architects.

Change to:

The firm was established by Norman Foster in 1967 shortly after leaving his first studio, Team 4. The firm was originally called Foster Associates before the name was changed to Foster & Partners in 1999.

Reason:

The existing version cites a primary source that does not support all of the claims made in the sentence like “in 1992 and shortened to Foster + Partners Ltd in 1999 to reflect the influence of the other lead architects.” The version I’ve suggested salvages verifiable information using prominent sources, and deletes unverifiable original research.

File:Yes check.svg Done except I removed shortly, which is unsupported, and changed "&" to "+" to match the source. STEMinfo (talk) 22:09, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

7. Please remove the following tags from the warning box on the top of the article:

This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2023) This article possibly contains original research. (August 2023) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (August 2023)

Reason:

The changes proposed above address the issues those tags are calling attention to by adding additional citations (including inline citations), and removing original research. These labels within the box are no longer required once the other changes I’ve suggested have been made.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 22:09, 3 June 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for your assistance. StaffordJasper (talk) 17:26, 15 December 2023 (UTC)

Correcting spelling error in infobox

Template:Edit COI Hello. The company’s name in the infobox was recently changed to something that is both misspelled and inaccurate. I’m an employee of the company and will not edit this page myself, but would greatly appreciate it if an editor could please make the correction. Thanks.

Please replace the “name” line in the infobox:

| name = Parters - fosters Group Limited

Change to:

| name = Foster and Partners

Reason:

As written, the name is both inaccurate and misspelled, and incongruent with the spelling of the company’s name throughout the rest of the article.

Thank you for your help. StaffordJasper (talk) 09:29, 9 October 2024 (UTC)

File:Yes check.svg Done. Well spotted, definitely an improvement. Axad12 (talk) 12:15, 9 October 2024 (UTC)

December 2024 proposal of edits

Hello, Wikipedians. I have a conflict of interest as an employee of Foster + Partners. I’d like to propose some updates to the infobox and History section as both are out of date. I am following WP:COI by not directly editing the page. Thank you for your help.

1. Please replace the existing infobox “architectural practice” template and information with the following new “company” template and information::

Reason:

This firm is no longer doing just architectural work. It has expanded considerably. The more general “company” template allows for the addition of engineering, and industrial design, which are already included in the body of the article, and represent prominent parts of the company’s work.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 05:37, 11 April 2025 (UTC)

Follow up - I just noticed that https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/725445.shtml was blocked, so I removed it from the infobox. STEMinfo (talk) 21:20, 11 April 2025 (UTC)

2. In the History section, please add a new paragraph to become the new second paragraph:

The firm was chosen by Robert Sainsbury to design the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, which was completed in 1978. Located at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, the 500 foot-long steel structure was designed to house the Sainsbury’s art collection, and was the firm’s first public building.

Reason:

As written, the History section is missing information about the firm’s major projects. Major publications such as The Guardian have reported on this project, along with established industry publications like Architect Magazine.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 22:18, 21 April 2025 (UTC)

3. In the History section, please add a paragraph to become the new third paragraph, following the content proposed in item 2:

In 1979, Foster + Partners won an international competition to design the new HSBC headquarters in Hong Kong.

Reason:

A highly noteworthy project important enough to be covered in major mainstream media and prominent industry sources.

File:Yes check.svg Done and noted that when completed, the building was the most expensive building in the world. STEMinfo (talk) 22:41, 21 April 2025 (UTC)

4. In the History section, please add a paragraph to become the new fourth paragraph, following the content proposed in item 3:

The firm was chosen to renovate the Reichstag in Berlin after being selected in a design competition in 1992. The renovation was completed in 1999.

Reason:

This is among the most important and well-known buildings in Germany and the world. A page about the building is already Wikilinked in the lead. ArchDaily and Dezeen are major publications in the field of architecture, and both reported on this highly noteworthy project.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 22:41, 21 April 2025 (UTC)

5. In the History section, please add a paragraph to become the new fifth paragraph, following the content proposed in item 4:

Foster + Partners was selected to be architect of a new skyscraper in London to be built on the site of the Baltic Exchange building, which had been heavily damaged by an IRA bomb in 1992. The building, known as 30 St Mary Axe or its nickname, “The Gherkin,” was completed in 2004.

Reason:

Covered by the BBC because of the importance of the project. A hyper-link to the page about this building is already in the lead.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 22:41, 21 April 2025 (UTC)

6. In the History section, please add a paragraph to become the new sixth paragraph, following the content proposed in item 5:

In 2001, construction began on the Norman Foster-designed Millau Viaduct spanning the Tarn gorge in southern France. The bridge was completed in 2004 and as of 2024 was the tallest bridge in the world.

Reason:

Profiled by CNN because of the scale and importance of the project. A hyper-link to the page about this structure is already in the lead and listed as a bullet point under the Bridges section.

File:Yes check.svg Done STEMinfo (talk) 23:04, 21 April 2025 (UTC)

7. In the History section, please add a paragraph to become the new seventh paragraph, following the content proposed in item 6:

The firm was approached by Steve Jobs in 2009 to develop 75 acres in Cupertino, California into the new headquarters of Apple; Jobs consulted on the design until his death in 2011. The campus, known as Apple Park, cost $5 billion and opened in 2017.

Reason:

One of the most noteworthy corporate campuses in the world sourced to a major profile in Wired. I have hyper-linked to the Wiki-page about the subject.

File:Yes check.svg Done Items also moved chronologically, and new source added. STEMinfo (talk) 23:04, 21 April 2025 (UTC)

Thanks very much for considering these updates. StaffordJasper (talk) 16:38, 20 December 2024 (UTC) StaffordJasper (talk) 16:38, 20 December 2024 (UTC)

Quick correction to page

Hello - Could a neutral editor please consider removing some unsourced material added into the Lead, and help to reverse a factually incorrect edit? I have a COI as an employee of Foster + Partners. Thanks.

1. Please edit the third sentence of the first paragraph of the Lead to remove mention of the “Luigi Einaudi” campus in Turin.

Change from:

The firm has been involved in the design of major projects around the world, including the Gherkin in London, the Luigi Einaudi university campus in Turin, the Hearst Tower in New York City, the 1990s renovation of the Reichstag in Berlin, the Millau Viaduct in France, and Hong Kong International Airport.

Change to:

The firm has been involved in the design of major projects around the world, including the Gherkin in London, the Hearst Tower in New York City, the 1990s renovation of the Reichstag in Berlin, the Millau Viaduct in France, and Hong Kong International Airport.

Reason:

The Luigi Einudi campus is not mentioned in the source nor anywhere in the body of the article. This unsourced information was added by an unnamed user here [1]. Foster did not lead this project which is why there’s no source saying that they did. It’s therefore not worthy of inclusion amongst its most important commissions.

2. Please replace the second sentence of the second paragraph of the Lead section:

Change from:

As of 2021, the firm had approximately 1,500 employees in New York City, Hong Kong, and Madrid.

Change to:

As of 2021, the firm had approximately 1,500 employees, located in offices in multiple cities, including New York, Hong Kong, and Madrid.

Reason:

An editor changed the sentence to “cut down on wordiness”[2] but in doing so, changed the entire meaning of the sentence. As written, it sounds as if the firm has 1500 employees in three cities, which is factually incorrect and not supported by the source.

Thank you for your help. StaffordJasper (talk) 08:49, 10 June 2025 (UTC)

Template:Respond I have reviewed these proposed changes and suggest that you go ahead and make the proposed changes to the page. GoldRomean (talk) 02:18, 11 June 2025 (UTC)