Nigel Dancey, RIBA, Senior Partner, Foster + Partners and AIA Seattle Honor Awards visiting jury member.

A senior partner at Foster + Partners, Nigel Dancey has worked on a number of key projects which have explored the possibilities for open, flexible working environments in which communication can flourish. From corporate headquarters to university research centres, these buildings generate a sense of community by breaking down large institutions into smaller groups to provide a social focus or providing informal spaces for academic interaction and the open exchange of ideas. Through a number of projects, he will show how the design process can question our assumptions about buildings and can reconcile needs which are often in conflict. That may mean dissolving social and physical barriers between user groups; or finding ways to bring different functions together under one roof.

Projects include the Clark Center at the University of Stanford, which was designed to facilitate an inter-disciplinary approach and promote interaction between scientists. The building has helped remodel the landscape of science and technological research at Stanford and beyond. The McLaren Technology Centre in Woking was the result of close collaboration with McLaren engineers to realise a building acutely attuned to its purpose as the centre for the design and development of Formula 1 cars. Current work, which continues to explore the theme of integration and exchange, includes the headquarters for Encana in Calgary, the SC Johnson Tribute building in Wisconsin and the Yale School of Management.

Many thanks to our lecture sponsor, City Green Building.