Young Urbanists present: Where do good ideas come from?
A joint lecture held at Foster + Partners examining collective practice and individual thinking
Date: Wednesday 6 May 2026
Time: 18:00 for 18:30 start
Location: Foster + Partners campus, Battersea SW11 4AN
As long-standing collaborators and sponsors of the Academy of Urbanism’s Young Urbanist network, Foster + Partners and Space Syntax come together for a Young Urbanists led conversation between David Nelson and Tim Stonor exploring a fundamental question: where do good ideas come from?
Reflecting on past collaborations and shared ways of working, the discussion examines the processes that shape both collective practice and individual thinking. Drawing on recent work, including the Queen Elizabeth Memorial in London, the discussion will consider how the dual processes of historic reflection and future foresighting can combine to inform new approaches to design, analysis, and placemaking.
Doors will open to the lecture space at 18:00 with the talk commencing at 18:30. The evening will conclude with a social and networking hour for all attendees.
David Nelson
Foster + Partners
David Nelson is a Senior Executive Partner, Head of Design and a member of the Design Board, a position he has held since 2004. Throughout his long career with Foster + Partners, he has played a key role in shaping its creative and operational direction. He has been involved in some of the practice’s most recognisable buildings, from the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank Headquarters to Apple Park in Cupertino, as well as high profile projects in China, Singapore and Korea.
As a member of the Design Board, David has an overview of every project. Each one benefits from the collective knowledge and expertise of Foster + Partners’ architects and specialist teams. The Design Board is at the heart of the design process, guiding and supporting teams, questioning, maintaining quality and focusing the practice’s collective experience at all stages.
His understanding of the studio’s evolution, his open, collaborative mindset and continued leadership role has made David a key figure in Foster + Partners’ evolution; he also brings a global perspective, gained from living in Hong Kong and travelling extensively to construction sites and projects across the world.
Tim Stonor
Space Syntax
Tim Stonor is an architect and urban planner. He is recognised internationally for his work in the creation of data-driven design techniques that drive the performance of buildings and urban places, from land value and rental income to safety and public health.
Tim was appointed Managing Director of Space Syntax in 1995. He has led the firm from its origins at The Bartlett, University College London to its position today as an urban planning and design practice operating globally.
He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Norman Foster Foundation and a former Deputy Chair and Trustee at the UK Design Council, where he is now an Ambassador. He is also a founding member and former director of The Academy of Urbanism, a Visiting Professor at The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, and a Harvard Loeb Fellow.
Tim is a popular keynote speaker, chair and panellist at events online and throughout the world. He acts as a jury member in international planning and design competitions, and as a senior advisor to public and private clients.
He is a member of Space Syntax’s Board of Trustees, Board of Directors and Management Group.
Where do good ideas come from? is hosted by Foster + Partners.
Foster + Partners staff should contact Seb ([email protected]) to register for this event.
