Norman Foster Foundation

The Norman Foster Foundation, alongside UNECE Housing and Land Management Unit and Arup, has collaborated with Kharkiv City Council and local and international experts to develop the masterplan for the reconstruction of Kharkiv, intended as a blueprint for the reconstruction of other Ukrainian cities. As part of this effort, the ‘Kharkiv Freedom Square Revival’ Heritage Competition was launched in September 2024, attracting over eighty entries—including twenty-one from Ukraine. The ten jury members hailed from Ukraine, United Kingdom, India, Spain, Israel and the United States, representing fields such as Architecture, Urban Planning, Transport and History. Collectively, rather than identify one clear winner—and second and third places—the jury decided to give equal weighting and prize money to three projects of equal standing, whose ideas would contribute to a second stage competition, open to new entrants as well as those who had competed in the present competition. The competition is seen as a success, particularly by the local representatives, who found it valuable in starting to redefine their needs—symbolically as well as functionally. The importance of gravitas in any proposal was a theme that recurred in the discussions. The intention now is to create a second competition which will be open to new entrants to further develop the ideas proposed in the first stage. The jury were mindful that, for example, the final design for The Reichstag in Berlin evolved from a competition that morphed into a second stage; a testament to the impact of striving for the future of our cities. To learn more about the prize-winning projects, presented by teams from Australia, Israel, and India; and the student awarded project, presented by a team from the United Kingdom, please visit https://lnkd.in/daE3M62C

This week, the ‘Healthy Cities’ documentary by Bupa premiered, exploring the intricate connections between climate, health and the urban environments we inhabit.   As partners committed to building healthier and more resilient cities, the Norman Foster Foundation and Bupa work together to address these critical challenges. Featuring insights from Norman Foster, President of the Norman Foster Foundation, alongside other experts, the documentary serves as a call to action, inspiring collaboration and innovation for a healthier future for both people and the planet.   Watch now here: https://lnkd.in/dJgwg56c   #NormanFosterFoundation #HealthyCities #Bupa #Sustainability

Shaping a new generation of city-makers The Norman Foster Foundation celebrated today in Madrid the Commencement Ceremony for the first academic year of the Master of Sustainable Cities, organised by the Norman Foster Institute in collaboration with the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. The Ceremony was moderated by Tim Stonor, Advisory Board Member, Norman Foster Foundation, Madrid, Spain; Managing Director, Space Syntax, London, United Kingdom, and included the participation of: - Norman Foster, Co-Director, Norman Foster Institute; President, Norman Foster Foundation, Madrid, Spain - Kent Larson, Co-Director, Norman Foster Institute, Madrid, Spain; Director, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab City Science Research Group, Cambridge, MA, United States  - Edgar Pieterse, Provost, Norman Foster Institute, Madrid, Spain; Founding Director, African Centre for Cities (ACC), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa  - Ricky Burdett, Advisory Board Member, Norman Foster Foundation, Madrid, Spain; Director and Professor of Urban Studies, LSE Cities and Urban Age Programme, London School of Economics (LSE), London, United Kingdom The 2024 students presented the final results of the projects they have worked on throughout the year, from their initial research and data collection to final project proposals for Bilbao, Athens and San Marino. Also present at the event were representatives from the three Pilot Cities, including Juan Mari Aburto, Mayor of Bilbao; Stefano Canti, Minister for Justice for San Marino; and Nikolas Kallianidis, Director of the Department of International Cooperation of Athens. With this first graduating cohort, the Norman Foster Institute and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid reaffirm their commitment to train future civic leaders capable of facing the urban challenges of the twenty-first century. #NormanFosterInstitute #NormanFosterFoundation

Proud to share the second edition of the Healthy and Climate-Resilient Cities report The Norman Foster Institute's Programme on Sustainable Cities is empowering the next generation of urban leaders to place the health and wellbeing of city dwellers at the heart of their designs. This report underscores the critical importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together knowledge and innovation to address the complex challenges of modern urban living. Through such efforts, we are paving the way for cities that are healthier, resilient and sustainable for generations to come. #NormanFosterFoundation #Bupa #Sustainability #HealthyCities

We are honored to announce that the WING display case, designed by Norman Foster with Goppion, has been selected for the ADI Design Index 2023. This selection is significant; each year ADI Associazione per il Disegno Industriale carefully curates innovative projects and products with a commitment to aesthetic refinement, functionality, and technological sophistication. The WING display cases originated as part of Foster’s retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in 2023, in partnership with Foster + Partners and the Norman Foster Foundation. After, they found a permanent home at the Norman Foster Foundation in Madrid, emphasizing their adaptability and enduring design. We are proud to see the WING case recognized for design excellence by ADI. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/edG-epn2

Norman Foster Foundation Heritage Competition | Kharkiv Freedom Square Revival This initiative invites innovative design solutions for two pivotal components: an iconic building—the Regional Administration Building—and the public realm of the adjacent Freedom Square. Participants will be tasked with developing concept-level design proposals. After the winners are announced, the selected proposals will have the potential to be further developed into detailed designs for construction in cooperation with the City Council, local professionals and stakeholders. This competition presents a unique opportunity to contribute to the revitalization of Kharkiv’s city center, harmonizing respect for its rich heritage with a vision for the future. Registration Deadline: 5 November 2024 UNECE Housing and Land Management Unit Follow the link to register: https://lnkd.in/daE3M62C https://lnkd.in/d-6v_-Ya

Last week, the fourth edition of the Norman Foster Foundation’s Public Debates on Sustainability took place in partnership with ROLEX. The event highlighted five exemplary cases of success in sustainable urban development. The Public Debates were moderated by Luis Bettencourt, Professor of Ecology, Evolution and Sociology, University of Chicago, Illinois, United States. With a five-minute keynote and debate between the following experts: Lina Ghotmeh, Founder and Director, Ghotmeh—Architecture, Paris, France Nirmal Kishnani, Co-Programme Director, Programme Director of the Master of Science, Integrated Sustainable Design, School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore Pablo Urango, Co-Director and Senior Partner, Foster + Partners, Madrid, Spain Maria Vassilakou, Founder, Vienna Solutions; Former Vice Mayor, Vienna, Austria Thank you all for coming. If you missed the event you can catch the full debates online. Head to our YouTube channel (@normanfosterfdn) to watch now. #NormanFosterFoundation #Rolex #Sustainability

Norman Foster Founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners and President of The Norman Foster Foundation this morning gave the keynote speech to the UN Forum of Mayors as their elected Advocate. He also opened the exhibition of the UN project for Ukrainian cities devoted to the development of the masterplans for Kharkiv and Mykolaiv.

The Norman Foster Foundation Press presents 'Norman Foster. Visual Record', a look through Norman Foster’s very own lens. This new release offers a selection of 135 slides, captured on 35mm film by Norman Foster between 1961 and 2000. These images feature Foster’s many interests and passions: the arts, design, machines, locomotives, aircraft, cars, cityscapes and, of course, architecture. Also showcased are Foster’s travels and visits to iconic architectural works by figures such as Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, among others. Inspired by a display of these photographs at the 'Norman Foster' Centre Pompidou exhibition in Paris in 2023, this book brings together an ad hoc mixture of images taken over four decades. The selection of images, overseen by the Norman Foster Foundation’s Archive Unit, is so eclectic that it defies categorisation. The result is a spontaneous assortment of visual memories that give insight into Norman Foster’s creative process. The book will be presented tomorrow 26 September in Madrid, featuring a Book Signing by Norman Foster at Ivorypress Venue: Ivorypress, Aviador Zorita 48, 28020, Madrid, Spain Date and time: Thursday, 26 September, 7:30-8:30 p.m. RSVP: rsvp@normanfosterfoundation.org #NormanFosterFoundation #NormanFoster

Last week, Irene Martín, Head of Research at the Norman Foster Institute, and Gareth Simons, Head of City Science at the Norman Foster Institute, presented the Institute’s and its scholars' contributions to the Athens Climate Action Plan at the Public Event on the Climate City Contract of the City of Athens. Their presentation, titled 'Exploring Urban Comfort through a Neighbourhood in Athens,' highlighted the Institute’s role in shaping the draft of the Climate Action Plan, which was signed during the event. The event featured speeches and presentations from notable figures, including: - Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens, Greece - Efthimios Bakoyannis, General Secretary of Spatial Planning and Urban Environment, Athens, Greece - Ioannis Androulakis, President of the Green Fund, Athens, Greece - Maria Vassilakou, Member of the Committee of the European Mission for 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities, Athens, Greece - Grammatiki Papazoglou, Director of Strategic Planning of the Municipality of Athens, Greece - Elissavet Bargianni, Head of the Resilience and Sustainability Department, Athens, Greece - Giorgos Xexakis & Alexandros Nikas, Scientific Associates - DAEM, Athens, Greece - Elissaios Sarmas, Innovation Director - DAEM, Athens, Greece - Thanos Polydoros & Vassilis Aggelis, PlanBe, Athens, Greece Thank you to all who contributed to this pivotal dialogue on creating climate-resilient cities. #NormanFosterInstitute #ClimateActionPlan #Athens #SustainableCities