Future Systems was a London-based

architectural Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing buildings o ...

and design practice, formerly headed by Directors Jan Kaplický and

Amanda Levete Amanda Jane Levete CBE, RA (17 November 1955) explores the transformation of space through her numerous buildings and furniture pieces. Levete enjoys creating the unexpected, and exploring the utilization of opposition. Levete is known for the ...

. Future Systems was founded by Kaplický and David Nixon after working with

Denys Lasdun Sir Denys Louis Lasdun, CH, CBE, RA (8 September 1914, Kensington, London – 11 January 2001, Fulham, London) was an eminent English architect, the son of Nathan Lasdun (1879–1920) and Julie (''née'' Abrahams; 1884–1963). Probably his b ...

, Norman Foster,

Renzo Piano Renzo Piano (; born 14 September 1937) is an Italian architect. His notable buildings include the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (with Richard Rogers, 1977), The Shard in London (2012), the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (2 ...

, and

Richard Rogers Richard George Rogers, Baron Rogers of Riverside (23 July 1933 – 18 December 2021) was a British architect noted for his modernist and functionalist designs in high-tech architecture. He was a senior partner at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Pa ...

in 1979. The work of Future Systems can be classified within the British high-tech architects as either bionic architecture or amorphous, organic shapes sometimes referred to as " blobitecture". "Compared to his peers, Kaplicky was the avant-garde incarnate, relentlessly pursuing the new new thing, refusing to settle into some predictable, and comfortable, architectural niche."

Practice

Future Systems proposals adapted construction methods from other professions, including (most commonly) the curved monocoque shell structures found in aircraft design,

car design Automotive design is the process of developing the appearance (and to some extent the ergonomics) of motor vehicles - including automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, buses, coaches, and vans. The functional design and development of a modern motor ...

and

boat building Boat building is the design and construction of boats and their systems. This includes at a minimum a hull, with propulsion, mechanical, navigation, safety and other systems as a craft requires. Construction materials and methods Wood W ...

. In the 1990s the company moved from theoretical projects to fee-paying work with projects such as the "spacecraft-like" Media Centre at Lord's Cricket Ground in London (completed 1999), and the Selfridges Building (completed 2003). For Lord's, Kaplicky received the Stirling Prize. The Selfridges department store is a prime example of the early 21st century movement referred to as " blobitecture", and has been compared to

Peter Cook Peter Edward Cook (17 November 1937 – 9 January 1995) was an English actor, comedian, satirist, playwright and screenwriter. He was the leading figure of the British satire boom of the 1960s, and he was associated with the anti-establishmen ...

's Kunsthaus in Graz, Austria. After Future Systems won the Stirling Prize, the firm received larger commissions including the Enzo Ferrari Museum in Modena, Italy (2009) and the unbuilt new

Czech National Library The National Library of the Czech Republic ( cs, Národní knihovna České republiky) is the central library of the Czech Republic. It is directed by the Ministry of Culture. The library's main building is located in the historical Clementinum ...

. In 2008 Kaplický and Levete split the firm. Kaplický took the firm name and some staff to the Czech republic, and Levete would take a proposed new headquarters for News Corporation in east London and a commission for a hotel and retail complex in Bangkok, Thailand, along with most of the staff – between 35 and 45 people.

History

1979 Founded by Jan Kaplicky and David Nixon while working at Foster Associates. 1989 Joined by

who arrives from Richard Rogers & Partners to become a partner. 1994 Completed the well received Hauer-King house in Islington. 1999 Won the Stirling Prize for Lord's Cricket Ground media centre. 2003 Completed the Selfridges building at the regenerated Bull Ring shopping centre in Birmingham. 2007 Won the commission for the controversial Czech National Library. 2008 Split into two practices after Kaplicky and Levete officially separate as business partners. 2008 Submits design of London Routemaster bus. 2008 Czech National Library project cancelled by Prague authorities. 2009 Jan Kaplický dies on 14 January 2009 in Prague, Czech Republic. A month later the final few staff working for Kaplický/Future Systems in Levete's offices were let go.

Gallery

Image:Nat West media centre cropped.jpg, The Media Centre, Lord's Cricket Ground, London Image:Birmingham Selfridges building.jpg, Selfridges Building, the Bull Ring,

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

File:Birmingham churches and Selfridges.JPG, The Selfridges Building from a distance Image:selfridges interior1.jpg, Interior of the Selfridges Building Image:SelfridgesBhamFront.jpg, Front view

References

Sources

* *

External links

Official website of Future Systems
*

{{Authority control Architecture firms based in London Stirling Prize laureates Design companies established in 1979 Companies disestablished in 2009 1979 establishments in England 2009 disestablishments in England British companies disestablished in 2009 British companies established in 1979

Practice

History

Gallery

References

Sources

Further reading

Articles

Books

External links