October 1, 2024

The San Diego Museum of Art Welcomes Architectural Design Exhibition Showcasing Work by Lord Norman Foster and his World-Renowned Studio Foster + Partners

Foster + Partners: Architecture of Light and Space displays historic architectural design achievements and introduces early concept design of San Diego Museum of Art west wing renovation

Exhibition on view October 19, 2024–April 27, 2025

Great Court at the British Museum
Great Court at the British Museum. © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

San Diego, CA. (October 2024)– Showcasing groundbreaking architectural designs by Lord Norman Foster and his internationally renowned studio Foster + Partners, a new exhibition titled Foster + Partners: Architecture of Light and Space opens at The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) this fall. On view October 19, 2024, through April 27, 2025, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the innovative architectural vision of Foster + Partners, one of the world’s leading architectural firms, renowned for their pioneering approach to design and sustainability, through models, drawings, and an early concept design of the Museum’s west wing renovation.

The exhibition delves into the firm’s remarkable body of work, showcasing the transformative impact of light and space in contemporary architecture, and award-winning innovations in sustainability through design. Featuring a carefully curated selection of models and drawings, Foster + Partners: Architecture of Light and Space illuminates the firm’s commitment to creating environments that harmonize with their natural surroundings and respond to the needs of the community.

Visitors will see models and drawings of architectural renovations organized by three themes: Working with History, Embracing the Environment, and Community and Culture.

  • Working with History reveals some of the many projects in which Foster + Partners have respectfully approached working with historic buildings and designing modern spaces that reference and dialogue with their unique history. Models demonstrating this approach include Foster + Partners architectural designs complementing the 17th-century Halls of Realms at the Museo del Prado in Madrid and the original Palladian facade of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. 
  • Community and Culture demonstrates Foster + Partners’ recognition of the changing role of museums and their history of creating truly open and flexible community spaces with greater accessibility and scope for multiple activities within cultural spaces. Projects include the Great Court of the British Museum and the Winspear Opera House in Dallas. 
  • Embracing the Environment explores the capacity of architecture to not only exist harmoniously in nature, but to truly celebrate it with indoor/outdoor spaces, panoramic views, and the planting of native trees and gardens. Major Foster + Partners projects include Apple Park in Cupertino, Calif.

Foster + Partners’ leading efforts in sustainability are examined throughout, including the renovations and new dome for the Reichstag in Berlin, which generates a surplus of energy for the city.

“We are thrilled to bring this important exhibition to San Diego and honored to collaborate with Lord Norman Foster in the process,” says Roxana Velásquez, Maruja Baldwin Executive Director and CEO at The San Diego Museum of Art. “Foster + Partners has redefined the harmonious relationship between architecture and its environment. This exhibition not only showcases their remarkable work, but also invites our visitors to engage with the transformative power of architecture in new and exciting ways.”

Lord Norman Foster, Founder and Executive Chairman, Foster + Partners, said: “History, community and the environment have been themes that have underpinned our work since the earliest days of the practice, and their relevance and importance has only grown over the years. We are delighted to have the opportunity to show our work at The San Diego Museum of Art, enabling visitors to have a greater appreciation of the importance of design in the quality of our lives.”

The exhibition will include detailed representations of landmark projects, including the Bilbao Museum of Fine Arts, Spain; the Great Court of the British Museum; Kogod Courtyard, Smithsonian Institution; and the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, Calif., illustrating the firm’s sophisticated approach to light and space.

Foster + Partners is a global studio for sustainable architecture, urbanism, engineering and design, founded by Lord Norman Foster in 1967. Foster studied architecture in Manchester before earning a fellowship at Yale School of Architecture in 1961, where he met Richard Rogers and traveled across the U.S. The influence of California’s Case Study Houses significantly shaped Foster’s approach to open, flexible, and multifunctional spaces.

Announced in 2023, SDMA has chosen Foster + Partners to renovate its west wing, with the goal of expanding exhibition space, including free galleries; enhancing public engagement; achieving greater efficiency and sustainability; supporting the Museum’s permanent collection; and improving accessibility while honoring the Museum’s and Balboa Park’s architectural heritage. The renovation aims to include a new education pavilion and sculpture garden, as well as a free community gathering space with exhibitions, pop up concerts, and a café. In addition, the renovation will accommodate new storage vaults for the collection and enhanced sustainability technologies. A public survey is open now through October 14, 2024, inviting the community to share about their current and desired SDMA experiences and renovation updates. For more details on the renovation project and to take the survey, visit www.SDMArt.org/west-wing-building-renovation/.

The San Diego Museum of Art invites the community and beyond to experience Foster + Partners: Architecture of Light and Space from October 19, 2024, through April 27, 2025. For more information about the exhibition, ticketing, and programming, please visit www.SDMArt.org.


About The San Diego Museum of Art

Providing a rich and diverse cultural experience, The San Diego Museum of Art houses some of the world’s finest art. Located in the heart of Balboa Park, the Museum’s internationally renowned collection of more than 32,000 works—dating from 3000 BC to present day—includes Spanish and Italian old masters, the Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of South Asian paintings, East Asian art, art from the Americas, Modern and Contemporary art, and the Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art (MOPA@SDMA). The Museum regularly features major exhibitions of art from around the world, as well as extensive cultural and community engagement programs for all ages. The San Diego Museum of Art hosts experiences that invite visitors to explore art through music, dance, film, food, and so much more. At The San Diego Museum of Art, exhibition text is always in English and Spanish.

The San Diego Museum of Art is located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA, 92101. General Information, (619) 232-7931, Group Sales: (619) 696-1935, Website: http://www.SDMArt.org X: @SDMA, Instagram: @SanDiegoMuseumofArt Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSanDiegoMuseumOfArt.