John Small

In this episode of the ‘Inside the Archive’ series, John Small, Partner at Foster + Partners and Director of Industrial Design, EMEA, Steelcase, takes a look back at his time working with Foster Associates, working with Norman Foster on the Stansted Airport to then make use of his learning to understand the importance of industrialization and design.

The Stansted Airport was coming to an end when Small realized his passion for working on the components for the inside of the building, given his knowledge of industrial and furniture design. Joining the studio, John Small reports the memorable experience of working there at this time and being part of a project that would become a reference for future airports. The industrialization and manufacturing process of the projects brought Small back closer to mass production and industrial design, waking up a curiosity for this new process of designing buildings through assembled pieces put together. Remembering factory communities, Small is brought back to his enjoyment of the idea of working and of using an enjoyable object. Gathering the memories of Norman Foster, John Small recognizes the humor that bound the two-man sharing a similar background. Working very closely with the architect on projects such as the Nomos table, Small discovered Foster’s interest in scales. Norman Foster being defined by Small as a good designer thanks to his ability to question uncertainties to create a progressive and enjoyable work experience.