Richard Rogers

Not to be confused withRichard Rodgers.

For other people named Richard Rogers, seeRichard Rogers (disambiguation).

The Right Honourable The Lord Rogers of Riverside CHFRIBAFCSDHonFREngRA
Rogers in 2013
Born	Richard George Rogers (1933-07-23)23 July 1933 Florence,Tuscany, Italy
Died	18 December 2021(2021-12-18)(aged 88) London, England
Nationality	British and Italian
Alma mater	Architectural Association Yale School of Architecture
Occupation	Architect
Spouses	Su Brumwell ​ ​ (m.1960, divorced)​ Ruth Elias ​ ​ (m.1973)​
Children	5, includingRoo
Awards	RIBA Gold Medal(1985) Knight Bachelor(1991) Thomas Jefferson Medal(1999) Praemium Imperiale(2000) Stirling Prize(2006, 2009) Minerva Medal (2007) Pritzker Prize(2007) HonFREng(2005)
Practice	Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners(2007–2020)
Buildings	Centre Georges Pompidou Lloyd's building(Grade I) Millennium Dome European Court of Human Rights Madrid–Barajas Airportterminal 4 Heathrow Terminal 5 Senedd,Cardiff
Projects	Towards an Urban Renaissance Grand Paris

Richard George Rogers, Baron Rogers of Riverside,CH,FRIBA,FCSD,HonFREng,RA(23 July 1933 – 18 December 2021) was a British-Italian architect noted for hismodernistandconstructivistdesigns inhigh-tech architecture.He was thefounderatRogers Stirk Harbour + Partners,previously known as theRichard Rogers Partnership,until June 2020. After Rogers' retirement and death, the firm rebranded to simply RSHP on 30 June 2022.

Rogers was perhaps best known for his work on thePompidou Centrein Paris, theLloyd's buildingandMillennium Dome,both in London, theSenedd building,inCardiff,and theEuropean Court of Human Rights building,in Strasbourg. He was awarded theRIBA Gold Medal,theThomas Jefferson Medal,the RIBAStirling Prize,theMinerva Medal,and the 2007Pritzker Prize.

Early life and career

TheLloyd's Buildingin London at night

Richard Rogers was born inFlorence,Tuscany, in 1933 into anAnglo-Italianfamily. His father, William Nino Rogers (1906–1993), was Jewish, and was the cousin of Italian Jewish architectErnesto Nathan Rogers.His Jewish ancestors moved fromSunderlandtoVenicein about 1800, later settling inTrieste,Milan andFlorence.In October 1938, William Nino Rogers came back to England,having fledFascist Italyandanti-Jewish lawsunderMussolini.

Upon moving to England, Richard Rogers went toSt John's School, Leatherhead.Rogers did not excel academically, which made him believe that he was "stupid because he could not read or memorise his school work"and as a consequence, he said, he became "very depressed".He could not read until he was 11,and it was not until after he had his first child that Rogers realised he was dyslexic.After leaving St Johns School, he undertook a foundation course at Epsom School of Art(now theUniversity for the Creative Arts) before going intoNational Servicebetween 1951 and 1953.

He then attended theArchitectural Association School of Architecturein London, where he gained the Architectural Association's Diploma (AA Dipl) from 1954 until 1959, subsequently graduating with a master's degree (M Arch) from theYale School of Architecturein 1962 on aFulbright Scholarship.While studying at Yale, Rogers met fellow architecture studentNorman Fosterand planning studentSu Brumwell.

After leaving Yale he joinedSkidmore, Owings & Merrillin New York City.On returning to England in 1963, he, Norman Foster and Brumwell set up architectural practice asTeam 4withWendy Cheesman(Brumwell later married Rogers, Cheesman married Foster).Rogers and Foster earned a reputation for what was later termed by the mediahigh-tech architecture.

By 1967, Team 4 had split up, but Rogers continued to collaborate withSu Rogers,along with John Young and Laurie Abbott.In early 1968 he was commissioned to design a house and studio forHumphrey SpendernearMaldon, Essex,a glass cube framed with I-beams. He continued to develop his ideas of prefabrication and structural simplicity to design a Wimbledon house for his parents. This was based on ideas from his conceptualZip-Up House.

Rogers subsequently joined forces with Italian architectRenzo Piano,a partnership that was to prove fruitful. His career leapt forward when he, Piano andGianfranco Franchiniwon thedesign competitionfor thePompidou Centrein July 1971, alongside a team fromOve Arupthat included Irish engineerPeter Rice.

Later career

After working with Piano, Rogers established theRichard Rogers Partnershipalong withMarco Goldschmied,Mike Davies,and John Young in 1977.This becameRogers Stirk Harbour + Partnersin 2007. The firm maintains offices in London, Shanghai, and Sydney.

Rogers devoted much of his later career to wider issues surrounding architecture, urbanism, sustainability, and the ways in which cities are used. One early illustration of his thinking was an exhibition at theRoyal Academyin 1986, entitled "London As It Could Be",which also featured the work ofJames Stirlingand Rogers's former partner Norman Foster. This exhibition made public a series of proposals for transforming a large area ofcentral London,subsequently dismissed as impractical by the city's authorities.

ThePompidou Centrein Paris

In 1995, he became the first architect to deliver theBBC's annualReith Lectures.This series of five talks, titled Sustainable City, were later adapted into the bookCities for a Small Planet(Faber and Faber: London 1997,ISBN0-571-17993-2). The BBC made these lectures available to the public for download in July 2011.

In 1998, he set up the Urban Task Force at the invitation of the British government, to help identify causes of urban decline and establish a vision of safety, vitality, and beauty for Britain's cities.This work resulted in awhite paper,Towards an Urban Renaissance,outlining recommendations for future city designers.Rogers also served for several years as chair of theGreater London Authoritypanel for Architecture andUrbanism.He was chair of the board of Trustees ofThe Architecture Foundation.

From 2001 to 2008, he was chief advisor on architecture and urbanism to the thenMayor of LondonKen Livingstone.In 2008, he was asked to continue on in his role as an advisor by the then new mayorBoris Johnson.He stood down from the post in October 2009.Rogers also served as an advisor to two mayors ofBarcelonaon urban strategies.

The Senedd building

Rogers(left)withQueen Elizabeth IIandSue EssexAM(right),at the opening of theSenedd building

The steps leading up to the Senedd

Amidst this extra-curricular activity, Rogers continued to create controversial and iconic works. Perhaps the most famous of these, theMillennium Dome,was designed by the Rogers practice in conjunction with engineering firmBuro Happoldand completed in 1999. It was the subject of fierce political and public debate over the cost and contents of the exhibition it contained; the building itself cost £43 million.

In May 2006, Rogers's practice was chosen as the architect ofTower 3of thenew World Trade Centerin New York City, replacing theold World Trade Centerwhich was destroyed in theSeptember 11 attacks.

Rogers resigned his directorship of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners on 30 June 2020.The Rogers name will be removed from the practice by 2022 as the founding constitution requires.

Selected projects

Team 4

Main article:Team 4

• Creek Vean,Cornwall,UK (1963–1966)
• Reliance Controls electronics factory,Swindon,UK (1967)
• Jaffe House (also known as Skybreak House),Humphrey Spender's house,Radlett,Hertfordshire, UK (1965–1966)
• WatesHousing,Coulsdon,Surrey, UK (1965)
• Murray Mews,Camden,London, UK (1966)

Richard and Su Rogers Architects (with John Young and Laurie Abbott)

• 22 Parkside(Dr. Nino and Dada Rogers's house),Wimbledon,London, UK (1967)
• Zip-Up House(1967–69)
• The Studio,Ulting,Maldon,Essex, UK (1968-9)

Piano + Rogers

• Universal Oil Products,Tadworth,UK (1969–1974)
• B&B Italiaheadquarters,Como,Italy (1972–1973)
• Pompidou Centre,Paris, France (1971–77)
• IRCAM,Paris, France (1971–1977)
• PA Consulting Group's Research Laboratory,Melbourn,UK (1976–1983)

The Richard Rogers Partnership

Main article:Richard Rogers Partnership

Madrid-Barajas Airportterminal 4

• Lloyd's building,London, UK (1978–84)
• Inmos microprocessor factory,Newport,Wales, UK (1980–1982)
• Old Billingsgate Market,London, UK (1985–1988)
• Paternoster Square,London, UK (1987)
• The River Café,London, UK (1987)
• ReutersData Centre, London, UK (1987–1992)
• Kabuki-cho Tower, Tokyo, Japan (1987–1993)
• Linn Products,Waterfoot, Glasgow (1988)
• Antwerp Law Courts,Belgium(2000–2006)
• Marseille Provence Airport,Marignane,France (1989–1992)
• Channel 4 Headquarters,London, UK (1990–1994)
• European Court of Human Rights building,Strasbourg, France, 1995
• 88 Wood Street,London, UK (1990–1999)
• Palais de Justice de Bordeaux,Bordeaux,France (1993–1999)
• Lloyd's Registerbuilding, London, UK (1995–1999)
• Millennium Dome,London, UK (1996–1999)
• Broadwick House, London, UK (1996–2000)
• Paddington Waterside,London, UK (1999–2004)
• Mossbourne Community Academy,London, UK (2002–2004)
• Senedd building,Cardiff,Wales(1999–2005)
• Adolfo Suárez-Madrid Barajas Airportterminals 4 and 4S,Madrid,Spain (2004)
• Hesperia Tower,Barcelona, Spain (2005)

RSHP (previously Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners)

Main article:RSHP

• Heathrow Terminal 5,London, UK (1989–2008)
• Las Arenas,Barcelona, Spain (1999–2011)
• Maggie's Centre,London, UK (2001–2008)
• Central Park Station(R9),Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transitsystem,Kaohsiung City,Taiwan (2003–2007)
• Three World Trade Center,New York City (2006–2018)
• British Museum,World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre, London, UK (2007–2014)
• One Hyde Park,London (2007–2010)
• Atrio Towers,Bogotá (2008–)
• Santa Maria del Pianto Underground Station, Naples, Italy (2006–)
• NEO Bankside, London, UK (2012)
• 33 Park Row, New York, USA (2021)
• 122 Leadenhall Street,also known as the Cheesegrater, London (2000–2014)
• Greater Paris /Grand Paris,France (2008–2013)
• Oxley Woods,Milton Keynes,UK (2004–2010)
• St. Lawrence Market NorthRevitalization,Toronto,Canada (2010–) withAdamson Associates
• Y:Cube,London (2013–2015)
• Stratford Cross,London (2014-ongoing)
• Taoyuan International Airport T3,Taipei,Taiwan(2015-ongoing)
• International Towers Sydney,Barangaroo,Sydney (2010–2016)
• 8 Chifly, Sydney, Australia (2005–2013)
• PLACE / Ladywell, London, UK (2014–2016)
• Parc1 Tower,Seoul,South Korea(2008–2020)

• 
  London Heathrow Terminal 5
• 
  Maggie's Centre, London
• 
  Central Park Station (R9), Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
• 
  Las Arenas, Barcelona
• 
  One Hyde Park, London
• 
  International Towers Sydney
• 
  Parc1 Tower, Seoul

Criticisms

LikeFrank Lloyd Wright's andLe Corbusier's, some of Rogers's buildings have not proved as well designed as claimed,suffering from leaks and maintenance problems.The Lloyds Buildings's much-vaunted design innovation of routing the service pipes outside the walls in fact led to such costs caused by weathering and maintenance that Lloyds considered vacating the building in 2014. Lloyds's former chief executive Richard Ward stated: "There is a fundamental problem with this building. Everything is exposed to the elements, and that makes it very costly."

In 2014 Rogers faced a £5m legal claim over problems at the Oxley Woods estate designed by the firm. Residents complained of water seepage through cladding panels and windows on the prefabricated terraced housing.

Palestine controversy

In February 2006, Rogers hosted the inaugural meeting of the campaigning organisation Architects and Planners for Justice inPalestine(APJP) in his London offices. At that time his practice had secured a number of projects in New York, including the redevelopment of theSilvercup Studiossite, a masterplan for the East River Waterfront and a commission for a $1.7 billion expansion of theJacob K. JavitsConvention Centre in Manhattan. Rogers, however, publicly dissociated himself from the group within weeks, following an outcry from generally pro-Israeli New York voters and politicians, which threatened him with the loss of prestigious commissions including projects in New York and abroad.He announced his withdrawal with the statement, "I unequivocally renounce Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine and have withdrawn my relationship with them."

Personal life

Rogers was married toRuth Rogers,chef and owner ofThe River Caférestaurant in west London. They had two sons together,Rooand Bo (deceased 2011).Rogers also had three sons, Ben, Zad and Ab, from his first marriage to Su Brumwell. He had fourteen grandchildren and a younger brother, Peter William Rogers, a property developer and co-founder of Stanhope.In 2015, he was named one of the "50 best-dressed British men" byGQmagazine.

He died in London on 18 December 2021, at the age of 88.

Honours and awards

Exhibition on Richard Rogers at the Centre Beaubourg in Paris (2008). Zip Up House model.

Rogers wasknightedin 1991 byQueen Elizabeth II.He was createdBaron Rogers of Riverside,ofChelseain theRoyal Borough of Kensington and Chelseaon 17 October 1996.He sat as aLabourpeer in theHouse of Lords;having not attended a proceeding in the 2019–21 session, his membership expired on 11 May 2021.Rogers was appointed a Member of theOrder of the Companions of Honour(CH) in the2008 Birthday Honours list.However, he was a republican.

Rogers was awarded theRIBARoyal Gold Medalin 1985. He was twice honoured by France, first as a Chevalier, L'Ordre National de laLégion d'honneurin 1986, and later as an Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettresin 1995.He received a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 10thMostra di Architettura di Venezia.In 2006, the Richard Rogers Partnership was awarded theStirling Prizefor Terminal 4 ofBarajas Airport,and again in 2009 for Maggie's Centre in London.Rogers won theGold Medal for Architectureat theNational Eisteddfod of Walesof 2006 for his work on theSenedd buildingof theSenedd (Welsh Parliament).He was also appointed an HonoraryFellowof theRoyal Academy of Engineeringin 2005. In 2007 Rogers was made Laureate of thePritzker Architecture Prize– architecture's highest honour.He was awarded the Minerva Medal by theChartered Society of Designersin the same year. In 2012, Rogers was among theBritish cultural iconsselected by artist SirPeter Blaketo appear in a new version of his most famous artwork – the Beatles'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Bandalbum cover – to celebrate the British cultural figures of the last six decades.

Rogers was awarded honorary degrees from several universities, including Alfonso X El Sabio University in Madrid,Oxford Brookes University,theUniversity of Kent,theCzech Technical University in Pragueand theOpen University.In 1994, he was awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Science) by theUniversity of Bath.

In popular culture

Rogers is mentioned (along with fellow architectPhilip Johnson) in the song "Thru These Architect's Eyes" on the albumOutside(1995) byDavid Bowie.

Rogers is mentioned in the song "Anti-Everything" by British bandMansun,from the albumSix(1998).

Publications

Rogers wrote several books during his career, including:

• Architecture: A Modern View,Thames & Hudson(1991)ISBN978-0-500-27651-8
• A New London(co-author Mark Fisher and the Labour Party),Penguin(1992)ISBN978-0-14-015794-9
• Cities for a Small Planet,Faber and Faber(1997)ISBN978-0-571-17993-0
• Towards an Urban Renaissance,Urban Task Force (1999)ISBN978-1-85112-165-6
• Cities for a Small Country,Faber and Faber (2000)ISBN978-0-571-20652-0
• Richard Rogers and Architects: From the House to the City,Fiell Publishing (2010)ISBN978-1-906863-11-1
• Architecture: A Modern View,Thames & Hudson (2013)ISBN978-0-500-34293-0

External links

• Portraits of Richard Rogersat theNational Portrait Gallery, London
• Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners website
• Large list of major Richard Rogers skyscrapers with data and imagesArchived9 October 2008 at theWayback Machine
• Rogers, Stirk, Harbour and Partners projects portfolio
• Pritzker Prize 2007Archived27 November 2010 at theWayback Machine
• Richard Rogers presents the 2007 Annual Discourse at the Royal Institute of British Architects(video)
• The 1995 BBC Reith Lectures: Sustainable City by Richard Rogers
• Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections