Grimshaw Architects

The practice was founded by Sir Nicholas Grimshaw in 1980.

Grimshaw excels at the design and construction of significant buildings that are finely crafted to suit their purpose and help enrich their local communities. Over 25 years, the practice has established a reputation worldwide for rational building design and a profound understanding of the use of materials. Early industrial projects in the UK set a precedent for the criteria that would inform the practice's design approach: structure, space and skin.

The practice now operates worldwide, with offices in London, New York and Melbourne employing 160 staff. Our international portfolio covers various sectors, with substantial experience in transport projects, offices and educational facilities, the industrial sector, large-scale arts and leisure schemes and masterplanning.

Grimshaw's dedication to high quality design is paramount, whether working on low budget structures or high cost buildings with complex technical specification. The practice is committed to understanding clients' needs and working within realistic budgets and timetables. Grimshaw buildings are constructed with the greatest attention to detail and the practice remains dedicated to the aftercare of its buildings, so that they continue to satisfy clients in the years to come.

The practice believes in its responsibility for its work to contribute to worldwide environmental improvement and sustainability. In 2000, Grimshaw became the first major architectural practice to meet the ISO14001 environmental management system standard and continues to use its own environmental audit system, EVA, which empowers its staff to improve the performance of Grimshaw buildings.

The latest CAD technology is used in all our offices to design and disseminate information. The practice has highly developed business management procedures, with certification to ISO 9001 for the past five years.

Biography

Nicholas Grimshaw, Architect CBE PRA RIBA AIA

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw graduated with honours from the Architectural Association in 1965. He immediately started his own practice and won many architectural awards for his buildings in the 1960’s and 1970’s. These buildings were noted for their innovative approach to construction and detailing.

In 1980 Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners Ltd was formed continuing this tradition, winning much acclaim and more than 80 Awards for Architecture and Civic Design.

The Practice is best known in the UK for the International Railway Terminal for Eurostar trains at Waterloo and the Eden Project in Cornwall. Other significant projects are the Sainsbury Urban Quarter in Camden, London; the Financial Times building in London Docklands; the Regional Headquarters for the RAC at Bristol; the Headquarters and printing press for the Western Morning News; the Headquarters for Lloyds TSB Bank in Gresham Street and the re-development of Paddington Station, London.

The Practice is already well known in Europe having completed six projects in Germany – the Ludwig Erhard House including the Berlin Stock Exchange, Headquarters buildings for IGUS plastics, VITRA furniture, MABEG sign systems, Pfeiffer Vacuum Systems and the recently finished Frankfurt Exhibition Hall. Elsewhere in Europe the practice has completed the Ijburg Bridge in Amsterdam, the British Pavilion at Expo ’92 at Seville in Spain, the new Airside Terminal for Zurich Airport and, recently, an Art Centre in Coruna, Spain, for the Caixa Galicia Foundation.

Internationally the Practice is now recognised as GRIMSHAW and has already completed the Plant Science Center in St Louis, United States, and Southern Cross Railway Station in Melbourne, Australia, for which the Practice recently won the Lubetkin Prize. Current projects worldwide include the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Centre for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York State, The Fulton Street Transit Center close to ground zero in New York, the Museo del Acero in Mexico and the Miami Science Museum.

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw has lectured in 21 countries worldwide. Lectures in recent years include ‘Structure, Space and Skin’ in Sao Paolo, Brazil, the Louis Kahn Memorial Lecture at Penn University, Philadelphia and a lecture entitled ‘Going Green – Architecture, the Environment and Eden’ at the National Building Museum in Washington DC. He is a registered architect in England, France, Germany and Spain. Following examination in 2002 he was also registered to practice architecture in the State of New York.

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw was elected a Royal Academician in 1994 and in the same year he was elected an Honorary Fellow of the AIA. He was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 and in December 2004 was elected President of the Royal Academy of Arts. He continues to actively lead his practice as Chairman of the Board.

The work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners is the subject of a series of books published by Phaidon in London:- ‘Architecture, Industry and Innovation’ deals with the years 1965 – 1988, ‘Structure Space and Skin’ covers 1988 – 1993 and ‘Equilibrium’ deals with the work of the Practice from 1993 – 2000.

Education, Scholarships and Memberships

1959- 1962 Edinburgh College of Art School of Architecture

1962- 1965 Architectural Association School of Architecture

1962 Scholarship awarded by the Architect’s Registration Council of the United Kingdom (ARCUK) for study at the Architectural Association

1963 Travel Scholarship from the Architectural Association to Sweden

1964 British Universities Travel Scholarship to the USA

1965 Diploma with Honours from the Architectural Association

1965 Bronze Medal awarded by the Societe d’Architectes Diplome par le Gouvernement (SADG) France for the Best Student Thesis at the Architectural Association

1965 Registered Architect of the Architects Registration Council of the United Kingdom (ARCUK)

1966 Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects

1988 Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers (formerly the Society of Industrial Designers and Artists)

1991 Certificate of the Ministry of Education and Science giving permission to practice architecture in Spain

1993 Hon. Doctorate of letters at the University of the South Bank, London

1993 Created Commander of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty the Queen

1994 Elected Vice President of the Architectural Association

1994 Elected Royal Academician

1994 Hon. Fellow American Institute of Architects

1994 Elected Member of the Ordre des Architectes, Paris

1995 Elected Honorary Member Bund Deutscher Architekten (BDA)

1995 AJ Centenary Medal for Contribution to Architecture

1999 Elected President of the Architectural Association

2002 University of the State of New York License to practice Architecture.

2002 Elected Honorary Fellow of The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland

2002 Created Knight Bachelor by Her Majesty the Queen for Services to Architecture

2003 Prince Philip Designers Prize – Special commendation for outstanding achievement in design for business and society

2004 Elected President of the Royal Academy of Arts

Teaching

1972-73 Lecturer in Architecture, Bartlett School, University of London

1978-79 Visiting Lecturer in Architecture, Cambridge University

1996 Visiting Professor, University of the Southbank, London

Publications

1980 'Energetic Architecture', RIBA JOURNAL, Issue, October

1984 ‘The Future of Industrial Building’, Royal Society of Arts

1986 ‘Reinventing the Factory’, Royal Society of Arts, London

1986 'Durability', National Structural Steel Conference, London

1988 ‘Product + Process’, Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners, London

1993 ‘The Private Client and his Architect’, Royal Society of Arts

1993 ‘Structure Space and Skin: The Work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners

1988-1993 ’Phaidon Press

1996 ‘Architecture Industry and Innovation: The Early Work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners

1965-1988’, Phaidon Press

1998 ‘Fusion: An Exhibition of Industrial Design’, Art Books International

2000 ‘Equilibrium: The Work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners

1993- 2000 ’Phaidon Press

2003 ‘The Architecture of Eden’ Publ. By Eden Project Books/Transworld

Principal Projects

1967 Service Tower, Student Hostel, London*

1968 Apartments, 125 Park Road, London*

1972 Citroën Warehouse, Runnymede*

1975 Headquarters for Editions Van de Velde, Tours, France*

1976 Factory for Herman Miller, Bath*

1978 Advanced Factory Units, Winwick Quay*

1980 Headquarters for BMW, Bracknell*

1980 Factory Units, Queen’s Drive, Nottingham*

1980 Sports Hall for IBM, Winchester

1981 Furniture Factory for Vitra, Weil-am-Rhein, Germany

1982 Wiltshire Radio Station, Wootton Bassett

1982 Herman Miller Distribution Centre, Chippenham

1984 Ice Rink, Oxford

1985 Headquarters for Ladkarn, London Docklands

1988 Research Centre for Rank Xerox, Welwyn Garden City

1986- 88 Leisure Centre, Stockbridge

1986- 88 Superstore for Sainsbury’s, London

1986- 88 Houses at Grand Union Walk, London

1986- Hartspring Business Park Project, Watford

1987 Homebase Store, Brentford,

1987- 88 Financial Times Printing Works, London Docklands

1988 North Woolwich Pumping Station, London

1989 Shopping and Leisure Project, Port East, London Docklands

1989 Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Competition Project

1990 Operations Centre for British Rail at Waterloo, London

1991 Venice Biennale, International Airport Project

1991- 1995 Berlin Stock Exchange and Communications Centre

1992 Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners’ Offices, London

1992 British Pavilion, Expo 92, Seville

1992 IGUS Headquarters and Factory, Cologne

1992 Western Morning News, Plymouth

1993 Satellite and Piers, Heathrow Airport, London

1993 Combined Operations Centre for British Airways, Heathrow, London

1993 Channel Tunnel Railway Terminal at Waterloo, London

1992- 1994 RAC Regional Headquarters, Bristol

1991- 1998 Ludwig Erhard Haus, Berlin

1996- 2006 Caixa Galicia Foundation Building, La Coruña, Spain

1997- 2006 Bath Spa, Bath

1995- 1998 Lord’s Grand Stand, London

1997- 2000 Ijburg Bridges, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1995- 1998 Orange Call Centre, Darlington

1996- 2001 The Eden Project, Cornwall

1996- 1999 Mabeg Office Building, Soest, Germany

1996- 2003 Zürich Airport, Zürich, Switzerland

1997- 1999 Paddington Station, London

1996 Victoria and Albert Museum Extension, London,

1996- 2000 Spine House, Oberkülheim, Germany

1997- 2001 Gresham Street Office Building, London

1997- 1999 European Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford

1998- 2007 Bijlmer Station, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

1996- 2001 National Space Science Centre, Leicester

1999- 2001 Frankfurt Messehalle, Germany

1997- 2001 Millennium Point Visitor and Education Centre, Birmingham

1998- 2001 Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, USA

1999- 2002 Advanced Technology Institute, University of Surrey

2000- 2007 nstitute of Cancer Studies, University of London

2001- Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, Rensselaer, Polytechnic Institute, New York

2002- Fulton Street Transit Center, New York

2002- 2006 Southern Cross Station, Melbourne, Australia

2004- Cutty Sark Conservation project

2004- Stansted Airport expansion

2005- Queens Museum of Art, New York

2005- New Academic Building, London School of Economics

2005- University of the Southbank, Keyworth II Building

2005- 2007 Museo del Acero, Monterrey, Mexico

2005- National Institute for Research into Aquatic Habitats

2006- Earthpark, Des Moines, Iowa

2006- ExCeL Phase 2 Development, London

2006- Garibaldi Republica, Fashion and Events building, Milan

2006- St Botolphs, City of London

2006- Tate Collections Centre, London

2006- New York Housing project

2007- Miami Science Museum

2007- New York University strategic planning inititaive

2007- Nyetimber Vineyard, Sussex

2007- Pulkovo Airport, St Petersburg

2008- The Edge, Eden Project, Cornwall

Grimshaw has won over 100 design awards internationally. Here are just a selection:

2009

Camden Building Quality Award- Large Commercial Category

LSE: New Academic Building

RIBA Award

UCL Cancer Institute: Paul O'Gorman Building

American Society of Landscape Architects Honour Award

Museo Del Acero

AIA Honor Award

Horno 3 : Museo Del Acero

2008

Brunel Award

Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA Station

Architectural Practice of the Year

Building Awards

Royal Institute of Dutch Architects Building of the Year

Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA Station

RIBA European Award

Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA Station

Footbridge Awards- Long Span Aesthetics Category Finalist

Newport City Footbridge

World Architect of the Year

Building Design Architect of the Year Awards

Transport Architect of the Year

Building Design Architect of the Year Awards

Stirling Prize Runner Up

Amsterdam Bijlmer ArenA Station

2007

Institute of Civil Engineers- George Gibby Award

Newport City Footbridge

MIPIM Architectural Review Future Project Award: Commendation (Sustainability)

Eco-Rainforest

RICS Regeneration Award

Newport City Footbridge

RIBA International Award

Southern Cross Station

Australian Construction Achievement Award

Southern Cross Station

Lubetkin Prize

Southern Cross Station

Structural Steel Design Award

Newport City Footbridge

Civic Trust Award

Thermae Bath Spa

RAIA Victorian Architecture Medal

Southern Cross Station

RAIA Victorian Chapter William Wardell Award for New Public Architecture

Southern Cross Station

RAIA Victorian Chapter Commendation for Urban Design

Southern Cross Station

Victorian Industry Capability Award

Southern Cross Station

RAIA Walter Burley Griffin Award for Urban Design

Southern Cross Station

2006

RIBA International Award

Zurich Airport

Architectural Steel Design Award, Australian Steel Insitute

Southern Cross Station

LABC National Built In Quality Awards

The Core, Eden Project, UK

RIBA European Award

Caixa Galicia Art Foundation

MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Award

Fulton Street Transit Center, New York, USA

2005

British Construction Industry Awards: Finalist

Zürich Airport: Airside Centre

MIPIM Architectural Review Future Projects Award

Dubai Tower, competition scheme

AIA London/UK Excellence in Design Award

Zürich Airport, Switzerland

AIA London/UK Excellence in Design Award

Rolls-Royce Manufacturing Plant and Headquarters, West Sussex, UK

2004

Royal Fine Art Commission Building of the Year

Rolls-Royce Manufacturing Plant and Headquarters, West Sussex, UK

RIBA Award

Rolls-Royce Manufacturing Plant and Headquarters, West Sussex, UK

2003

Structural Steel Design Award

Millennium Point, Birmingham, UK

Structural Steel Design Award

25 Gresham Street, London, UK

RIBA Award

National Space Centre, Leicester, UK

Business Commitment to the Environment Award

Eden Project: Foundation Building and Grimshaw's environmental audit tool

Prince Philip Designer's Prize: Special Commendation

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw

2002

Natural Stone Award

25 Gresham Street, London, UK

RIBA Award

Frankfurt Trade Fair Hall, Germany

MSH-Preis für Architektur

Frankfurt Trade Fair Hall, Germany

Structural Steel Design Award

National Space Centre, Leicester, UK

Preis des Deutschen Stahlbaues

Frankfurt Trade Fair Hall, Germany

World Architecture Award

The Eden Project, Cornwall, UK

2001

AIA London/UK Excellence in Design Award

The Eden Project, Cornwall, UK

BIAT Award for Technical Excellence

The Eden Project, Cornwall, UK

Structural Steel Design Award

The Eden Project, Cornwall, UK

British Construction Industry Award

The Eden Project, Cornwall, UK

RIBA Award

The Eden Project, Cornwall, UK

Stirling Prize Runner Up

The Eden Project

2000

Structural Steel Design Award

Paddington Station Phase 1, London, UK

Concrete Society Award

European Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, Surrey, UK

1999

Structural Steel Design Award

Orange Operational Facilities

RIBA Award

MABEG Office Box, Germany

Concrete Society Award

Lord's Grand Stand, London, UK

RIBA Award

Orange Operational Facilities, Darlington, UK

British Construction Industry Award

Ludwig Erhard Haus, Germany

1996

International Brunel Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

British Council for Offices Award

BA Combined Operations Centre, London, UK

Civic Trust Award

BA Combined Operations Centre, London, UK

Civic Trust Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

1995

Concrete Society Award

RAC Regional Headquarters, Bristol, UK

RIBA Award

RAC Regional Headquarters, Bristol, UK

AIA London/UK Excellence in Design Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

British Construction Industry Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

Financial Times Industrial Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

AJ Centenary Medal for Contribution to Architecture

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw

AIA London/UK Design Excellence Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

1994

Structural Steel Design Award

RAC Regional Headquarters, Bristol, UK

Mies van der Rohe Pavilion Award for European Architecture

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

Royal Fine Art Commission Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

RIBA Award

Western Morning News Headquarters, Plymouth, UK

RIBA Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

Structural Steel Design Award

International Terminal Waterloo, London, UK

1993

British Construction Industry Award

Igus Factory (Phase 1), Germany

Royal Fine Art Commission Award

Western Morning News Headquarters, Plymouth, UK

British Construction Industry Award

Western Morning News Headquarters, Plymouth, UK

Structural Steel Design Award

British Pavilion Expo '92, Seville, Spain

Structural Steel Design Award

Western Morning News Headquarters, Plymouth, UK

1992

British Construction Industry Award

British Pavilion Expo '92, Seville, Spain

1991

RIBA Award

Stockbridge Leisure Pool, UK

1990

Constructa Preis

Financial Times Printing Works, London, UK

RIBA Award

Rank Xerox Research and Development Facility, UK

1989

RIBA Award

Financial Times Print Works, London, UK

Structural Steel Design Award

Homebase Store, Brentford, UK

British Construction Industry Award

Financial Times Print Works,, London, UK

1986

RIBA Award

Herman Miller Distribution Centre, Chippeham, UK

1983

RIBA Award

Castle Park Factory Units

1980

RIBA Award

BMW GB Headquarters

RIBA Award

Advanced Factory Units

1978

RIBA Award

Herman Miller Assembly Plant, Bath, UK

1977

Structural Steel Award

Herman Miller Assembly Plant, Bath, UK

Financial Times Industrial Architecture Award

Herman Miller Assembly Plant, Bath

1969

Structural Steel Design Award

Student Service Tower, London, UK