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 1960s and 1970s. 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 97 awards for Architecture and Civic Design. The practice is now recognised as GRIMSHAW and operates internationally with offices in London, New York and Melbourne.
The practice is best known in the UK for the Waterloo International Station and the Eden Project in Cornwall. Other significant projects are the RAC Regional Headquarters in Bristol; the Western Morning News Headquarters and Printing Press in Plymouth; and, in London, Sainsbury’s urban quarter in Camden, the Financial Times Printworks, the Headquarters for Lloyds TSB Bank in Gresham Street, the UCL Cancer Institute, and the re-development of Paddington Station.
Recent projects in the UK include the development of ExCel conference centre in London’s Docklands and a number of university buildings.
The practice is well known in Europe having completed six projects in Germany – the Ludwig Erhard House, which originally housed the Berlin Stock Exchange, the headquarters for IGUS plastics, VITRA furniture, MABEG sign systems, Pfeiffer Vacuum Systems and the Frankfurt Trade Fair Hall. Elsewhere in Europe the practice has completed the Ijburg Bridges and Bijlmer Station in Amsterdam (winner of the Building Magazine Building of the Year 2008), the British Pavillion at Expo ’92 and the Caixa Galicia Art Foundation both in Spain, plus the new Airside and Landside centres for Zurich Airport.
Recent projects in Europe include the E3 Fashion and Design Events Building in Milan, which will form part of Cesar Pelli’s masterplan in Garibaldi Republica.
Further afield, GRIMSHAW has completed the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St Louis, USA, and the National Museum in Monterrey, Mexico. Other projects include the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York State, and the Fulton Street Transport Center close to Ground Zero, the Queens Museum of Art in New York, the Earthpark in Iowa and, more recently, the Miami Science Museum and Pulkovo Airport at St Petersburg.
In Melbourne, Australia, the team has completed the refurbishment of Southern Cross Station, winner of RIBA’s Lubetkin Prize 2007.
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw has lectured in 23 countries worldwide, including the USA. Most recently he gave his lecture ‘Embedded Intelligence’ in New York, Mexico City and Monterrey. Previously he has given his lecture entitled ‘Going Green – Architecture, the Environment and Eden’ at the National Building Museum in Washington DC and the Louis Kahn Memorial Lecture at Penn University, Philadelphia. He is a registered architect in England, France, Germany and Spain. Following examination in 2002 he is also registered to practice architecture in the State of New York.
Sir Nicholas 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 was President until 2011. In 2008 he was conferred as Visiting Professor at the University of the Arts London.
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw continues actively to lead his own practice as the Chairman of the Board.
The work of GRIMSHAW 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.
Born: 1939 in Hove, Sussex, England, United Kingdom
Nationality: British
Elected RA: 23 May 1994
Elected Senior RA: 1 October 2015
President from: 2004 - 2011
Gender: Male
Visit Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA (b. 1939)'s website
Preferred media: Architecture
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Silver model of Waterloo International Terminal, 2011
Silver
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Record drawing for Waterloo International Railway Terminal, Lambeth, London: plan at platform level, west elevation and details, 1 June 1997
Print with blue and grey crayon added
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 41, 16 April 1996 - 10 July 1996
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 40, 30 Nov 1995 - 19 March 1996
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 39, 26 July 1995 - 23 Nov 1995
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 38, 01 April 1995 - 11 July 1995
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 36, 20 Oct 1994 - 20 Dec 1994
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 35, 26 June 1994 - 19 Oct 1994
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 34, 10 Feb 1994 - 23 June 1994
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 33, 15 Nov 1993 - 08 Feb 1994
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 32, 01 Sept 1993 - 05 Nov 1993
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 31, 18 May 1993 - 09 Aug 1993
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 30, 01 Feb 1993 - 13 May 1993
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 29, 14 Oct 1992 - 29 Jan 1993
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 27, 12 Feb 1992 - 19 June 1992
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 26, 13 Nov 1991 - 08 Feb 1992
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 25, 05 July 1991 - 08 Nov 1991
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 23, 05 Dec 1990 - 20 March 1991
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 22, 02 July 1990 - 03 Dec 1990
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 21, 22 March 1990 - 28 June 1990
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 19, 27 July 1989 - 06 Dec 1989
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 18, 12 May 1989 - 25 July 1989
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 17, 27 Feb 1989 - 12 May 1989
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 16, 07 Nov 1988 - 02 March 1989
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 15, 06 July 1988 - 01 Nov 1988
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 14, 02 March 1988 - 05 July 1988
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 13 , 01 Oct 1987 - 25 Feb 1988
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 12, 29 Jan 1987 - 23 Sept 1987
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 11, 22 Oct 1986 - 28 Oct 1987
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 10, 11 May 1986 - 17 Oct 1986
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 9, 27 Oct 1985 - 19 May 1986
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 8, 18 Mar 1985 - 28 Oct 1985
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 7, 04 April 1984 - 04 March 1985
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 6, 11 Jan 1984 - 26 July 1984
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 5, 14 Sept 1983 - 09 Jan 1984
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 4, 25 May 1983 - 13 Sept 1983
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 3, 05 Jan 1983 - 25 May 1983
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 2, 22 Jan 1982 - 31 Dec 1982
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 63, 29 April 2007 - 17 Nov 2008
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 62, 04 June 2005 - 23 April 2007
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 61, 12 May 2004 - 03 June 2005
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 60, 09 July 2003 - 11 May 2004
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 59, 14 Oct 2002 - 09 July 2003
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 58, 21 Sept 2001 - 01 Oct 2002
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 57, 18 May 2001 - 18 Sept 2001
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 56, 08 Jan 2001 - 27 March 2001
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 54, 03 May 2000 - 11 Oct 2000
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 53, 20 Jan 2000 - 15 May 2000
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 52, 01 Oct 1999 - 08 Jan 2000
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 50, 12 May 1999 - 27 Oct 1999
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 49, 28 July 1998 - 16 Dec 1998
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 47, 23 Jan 1998 - 10 March 1998
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 46, 06 Nov 1997 - 23 Jan 1998
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 45, 16 July 1997 - 21 Oct 1997
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 44, 30 April 1997 - 04 July 1997
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Nicholas Grimshaw: Notes and Sketches Book 43, 14 Nov 1996 - 09 April 1997
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Design for a circular tower block, 1963
Pen and ink on tracing paper
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA
Drawing exploring population density in a tower block, 1963
Pen and ink on tracing paper
Anne-Katrin Purkiss
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw PPRA, August 2011
Camera: hasselblad 500 c/m (scanned from negative ilford delta 400asa). printed on hahnemühle fine art paper (pearl).
James Hunkin
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw P.R.A., the Reynolds Room, Burlington House, 2005., May 2005
James Hunkin
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, CBE, PRA., 2001
Silver gelatin print, kodak ektalure paper
James Hunkin
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, CBE, PRA., 2001
Silver gelatin print, kodak ektalure paper
2007 Elected Honorary Fellow of the Mexican Institute of Architects
2004 Elected President of the Royal Academy of Arts
2003 Prince Philip Designers Prize – Special commendation for outstanding achievement in design for business and society
2002 University of the State of New York License to practice Architecture
Elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland
Created Knight Bachelor by Her Majesty the Queen for Services to Architecture
1999 Elected President of the Architectural Association
1995 Elected Honorary Member Bund Deutscher Architekten (BDA
AJ Centenary Medal for Contribution to Architecture
1994 Elected Vice President of the Architectural Association
2008 Visiting Professor, University of the Arts, London
1996 Visiting Professor, University of Southbank, London
1978-1979 Visiting Lecturer in Architecture, Cambridge University
1972-1973 Lecturer in Architecture, Bartlett School, University of London
2003 The Architecture of Eden, Eden Project Books/ Transworld
2000 Equilibrium: the work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners 1993-2000, Phaidon Press, London
1996 Architecture, Industry and Innovation: the early work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partner
1993 Structure, Space and Skin: the work of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners 1988- 1993, Phaidon Press, London
1988 Product + Process, Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners, London
1986 Reinventing the Factory, Royal society of Arts, London
1984 The Future of Industrial Building, Royal Society of Arts, London
Capturing the Concept: the sketchbooks of Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, CBE, PRA from 1982 to 2007
2009-2010
Item RAA/PRE/5/2/458
Notice of the election of Sir Nicholas Grimshaw as President
14 Dec 2004
Item RAA/PRE/2/1/474
Capturing the Concept: sketchbooks of Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, general release
28 Sep 2009
Item RAA/PRE/2/1/544