Hopkins Architects


Hopkins Architects is a prominent British architectural firm established by architects Sir Michael and Patricia, Lady Hopkins.

Background

The practice was established in 1976 by Michael and Patty Hopkins and is now run by five Principals. The practice has won many awards for its work and has been shortlisted for the Stirling Prize three times, including in 2011 for the London 2012 Velodrome, in 2006 for Evelina Children's Hospital and in 2001 for Portcullis House and Westminster Underground Station. The founders were awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects Royal Gold Medal in 1994 and Michael Hopkins was appointed a CBE and knighted for services to architecture.
The practice's first building outside of the United Kingdom was the headquarters for GEK in Athens in 2003, followed by Tokyo's Shin-Marunouchi Tower in 2007. It has now designed buildings on four continents, with projects completed or under development in the UK, the US, Italy, Greece, Turkey, India, Japan, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Hopkins maintain their headquarters in Marylebone, London and operate an additional Design Studio in Dubai. In addition, they operate Project Offices in Munich, Shanghai and Tokyo.
Current work includes the new Richard A and Susan F Smith Campus Center at Harvard University in Massachusetts, USA, the Peninsula London Hotel, and the Engineering and Science Library at University of Nottingham, also in the United Kingdom.

Notable buildings

Former Hopkins staff include Chris Wilkinson, Bill Dunster, John Pringle and Ian Sharratt, and Edward Williams and Laura Carrara-Cagni.

Appearances

Buildings by Hopkins appear in two James Bond films. The interior of the IBM Building at Bedfont Lakes serves as the location for Elliot Carver's media party in Hamburg in Tomorrow Never Dies. In the following film, The World Is Not Enough, Portcullis House makes a fleeting appearance in the boat chase down the Thames.
On 22 October 2006 the practice's Westminster Underground Station was closed for the day to allow filming for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to take place for a scene where Harry takes the tube with Arthur Weasley to go to a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic.
As one of the main venues during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, the interior and exterior of the 2012 London Velodrome featured prominently during track cycling events on many major networks throughout the world.