Norman Foster

Ken Powell

The headquarters for Willis Faber & Dumas challenged accepted thinking about the office building and established Foster + Partners' reputation for democratic, flexibly planned workplaces. Primarily conceived with a spirit of equality, the architectural innovations of Willis Faber & Dumas included the use of escalators in a three-storey structure, as well as the social dimension offered by its swimming pool, roof-top restaurant and garden. Designed for long-term flexibility, the building pioneered the use of raised office floors, which anticipated the revolution in information technology. Externally, the building was equally distinguished for its state-of-the-art glass facʹade, and its free-form plan, which responded to the medieval street pattern. This monograph follows the building's evolution from concept through execution, including numerous illustrations and comprehensive essays, and will appeal to those interested in architecture and design.

Foster + Partners

Willis Faber & Dumas Headquarters

Patrick Barclay

How England's most beloved football stadium was transformed into the world's largest and most versatile of its kind. "Some people are on the pitch. They think it's all over ... it is now!" Or at least it is for the old Wembley. With its spectacular 133-meter-high arch dramatically illuminating the night skyline, London has a new icon: the new Wembley Stadium. Designed by Foster + Partners and the architectural firm HOK, the new stadium is almost 4 times the height of the original, covering twice the area, with 90,000 seats, a partially retractable roof, and state-of-the-art spectator comforts. It is the largest and most sophisticated football stadium in the world. Drawing from a treasure chest of striking archive images, "Wembley Stadium: National Icon" tells the fascinating stories of the old and the new stadium. For nearly eighty years the old Wembley Stadium was the epicenter of Britain's greatest sporting and entertainment achievements. From the White Horse to Geoff Hurst's World Cup hat trick, this collectors item takes readers to all the cup finals and internationals, culminating in exclusive coverage of the 2007 FA Cup Final - the first major football event in the new stadium. 230 colour & 100 b/w illustrations

Venue of Legends

Wembley Stadium

Chris Cook

English Historical Facts 1485–1603

Designed by the internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano and developed by Irvine Sellar, The Shard is one of the worlds most striking new skyscrapers and is now, at 310m, the tallest building in Western Europe. From 1 February 2013, people will be able to visit The View on floors 68, 69 and 72 almost twice the height of any other viewing gallery in London from where they will experience a 360-degree, 40-mile view over one of the worlds most historic and exciting cities. Organized spread by spread, easy to navigate and as elegantly designed as the building itself, the official guidebook sets The Shard in the context of Southwark, one of the capitals most historic boroughs, before outlining the design principles and construction story of the building. Also included are Q&As with both the architect and the developer and fascinating facts and stats relating to this extraordinary building. Central to the books purpose as the official guidebook are a series of twelve high-resolution double-page panoramic photographs of the views from The Shard (three per compass point: looking left, looking right and looking down), each annotated to identify Londons key buildings, monuments and landmarks. An informative souvenir for visitors to The Shard, the book will also be available in the trade, making it available to all Londoners and visitors to the capital.

The Official Guidebook

The Shard

Responsible for Le Grand Bleu in Marseille and North Greenwich Station on the Jubilee Line extension, among others, Alsop was one of four architects chosen to represent Britain at the Venice Biennale. This volume examines his creative process.

Ken Powell

Books

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