Partners: Nigel Coates

After training at the Architectural Association, Nigel Coates’s career spans architecture, design, and latterly art practice. His subversive spirit first came to public attention in 1984 with the publication of NATO (Narrative Architecture Today) magazine. The theme of narrative has continued in his many buildings, interiors and exhibitions around the world. Projects in Japan include the Wall, Noah’s Ark and Art Silo, and in Britain, the National Centre for Popular Music, Powerhouse::uk, the Geffrye Museum and a large restaurant at Glyndebourne. His more experimental work has been shown in an art and design context, including Mixtacity at Tate Modern (2007) and Hypnerotosphere at the 2008 Venice Architecture Biennale. In 2003 his autobiographic ‘Guide to Ecstacity’ elaborated his experience-based approach to architecture. He is also a prolific designer of lighting and furniture, collaborating with many Italian companies, including Alessi, AVMazzega, Ceramica Bardelli, Frag, Fratelli Boffi, Poltronova and Slamp. For limited editions he is represented by Cristina Grajales, New York. Examples of his work are held in several museum collections including the V&A, Cooper Hewitt and FRAC. His latest book ‘Narrative Architecture’ will be published by Wiley in September 2011.