Nicholas Grimshaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicholas Grimshaw
CBE PPRA
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Born | Hove, East Sussex, England
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9 October 1939
Nationality | British |
Education | Wellington College |
Alma mater | Edinburgh College of Art Architectural Association School of Architecture |
Occupation | Architect |
Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, born on October 9, 1939, is a famous English architect. He is well-known for designing many modern buildings. Some of his most famous works include Waterloo International railway station in London and the amazing Eden Project in Cornwall.
He was the President of the Royal Academy from 2004 to 2011. He also led his own architecture company, Grimshaw Architects, until 2019. Sir Nicholas has received the important RIBA Gold Medal for his work.
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About Nicholas Grimshaw

Nicholas Grimshaw was born in Hove, England, on October 9, 1939. His father was an engineer, and his mother was a portrait painter. This meant he grew up with an interest in both building things and art.
His family had a history of engineering. One of his great-grandfathers built dams in Egypt. Another great-grandfather helped create Dublin's drainage system. This was after he showed how dirty water caused diseases.
Grimshaw's father passed away when Nicholas was very young. He grew up with his mother, grandmother, and two sisters. Even as a boy, he loved to build. He enjoyed playing with Meccano, building tree houses, and making boats.
Education and Early Career
He went to Wellington College until he was 17. From 1959 to 1962, he studied at the Edinburgh College of Art. He then won a special scholarship. This allowed him to study at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London.
While there, he won more scholarships. These let him travel to Sweden in 1963 and the United States in 1964. He finished his studies in 1965 with high honors. Soon after, he teamed up with another architect, Terry Farrell. In 1967, he became a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
Starting His Own Firm
Grimshaw worked with Terry Farrell for 15 years. Then, in 1980, he started his own company. It was called Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners. In 1989, he won a national award for his design of the Financial Times printworks in London.
He designed Britain's building for the Seville Expo in 1992. Because of his great work, he was honored in 1993. The next year, his Waterloo International railway station was named 'Building of the Year'. In 1994, he also became a member of the Royal Academy.
Grimshaw's architecture company is now known worldwide. It has offices in London, New York, Melbourne, and Sydney. His work has been featured in several books. These books show how his designs changed over the years. In 2004, Grimshaw became the President of the Royal Academy of Arts. He held this important role until 2011.
Key Projects

Here are some of the many projects Nicholas Grimshaw designed:
- 125 Park Road, London (1968)
- Herman Miller Factory, Bath (1976)
- BMW (UK) headquarters, Bracknell (1980)
- Oxford Ice Rink, Oxford (1984)
- Financial Times Printworks, Blackwall, London (1988)
- Sainsbury's supermarket, Camden Town, London (1988)
- British Pavilion Expo '92, Seville, Spain (1992)
- Waterloo International railway station, London (1993)
- Compass Centre, Heathrow Airport (1993)
- RAC Regional Headquarters, Bristol (1994)
- Berlin Stock Exchange, Berlin, Germany (1997)
- Lord's Cricket Ground Grandstand, London (1998)
- Eden Project, Cornwall (2001)
- Frankfurt Trade Fair Hall, Frankfurt, Germany (2001)
- National Space Centre, Leicester (2001)
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Goodwood plant and headquarters (2003)
- Southern Cross railway station, Melbourne, Australia (2005)
- Thermae Bath Spa, Bath (2006)
- Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, Troy, New York (2007)
- London School of Economics New Academic Building, England (2008)
- Cutty Sark conservation project, London, England (2012)
- Pulkovo Airport, Saint Petersburg, Russia (2014)
Awards and Honours
Nicholas Grimshaw has received many important awards for his architecture. He was made a Knight Bachelor in 2002. This means he can use the title "Sir" before his name. This honor was given for his great contributions to architecture.
In 2004, he received an Honorary Doctorate from Heriot-Watt University. He was also awarded the RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 2019. This medal is one of the highest honors in British architecture.
See also
In Spanish: Nicholas Grimshaw para niños