Norman Foster: Star architect at 85

Inaugurated in 1999, Norman Foster's glass dome crowning the Reichstag building quickly became a new landmark of the reunited German capital, greeting countless visitors who climb up the spiral walkway. The architect's mirrored design allows he public to watch the German parliament at work, symbolically placing the people above the government and emphasizing the importance of transparency.

Too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer! That's why a roof designed by Norman Foster was added to the courtyard of the Smithsonian Museum, one of the largest museums in Washington D.C. The wavy steel and glass structure, constructed in Germany, is a staggering 27 meters in length.

Like a giant blue cucumber, the 30 St Mary Axe tower, previously known as the Swiss Re Building, reaches up into the sky. The 180-meter-high skyscraper has dominated the skyline of the financial district of London since 2004. The architects Norman Foster and Ken Shuttleworth designed a structure consisting of interwoven helical strands, clad with triangular and rhomical glass elements.

A construction for free spirits: For the Philological Library of the Free University Berlin, Foster designed a compact, multi-story reinforced concrete building with two cores. The inner structure is enveloped by a self-supporting dome. The construction houses 700,000 books from 11 different philological libraries.

Work, culture and life, past and future: Foster united apparent opposites when he presented his master plan for Duisburg in 2007. The German industrial city on the Rhine was in need of renewal. As such, Duisburg's inner harbor with its ancient mills and granaries was developed into a stunning green center on the waterfront.

A pilgrimage site of the global game: Wembley Stadium in the London district of Brent. Foster's new construction for 90,000 spectators replaced the legendary arena of 1923. A 133-meter-high arch with a retractable roof covers the sports field. Wembley is one of the 10 largest stadiums in the world. With it, Norman Foster has created a global sports monument.

The Millennium Bridge in London is a passage for pedestrians over the River Thames, connecting the city center with the district of Southwark. The suspended bridge offers the best view of St. Paul's Cathedral. Due to strong vibrations, Foster's bridge needed to be renovated several times.

An extraordinary bridge construction: The Millau Viaduct in southern France leads over the Tarn River in the direction of Barcelona. Norman Foster added an aesthetic shape to the original construction of Michel Virlogeux. Since its inauguration in 2004, the viaduct — spanning 2,460 meters — is the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world. It is also France's tallest architectural structure.

The undulating building of the Expo Pavilion in the United Arab Emirates is reminiscent of two coalescing sand dunes. Foster's design was celebrated as an architectural milestone at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. The 20-meter-long stainless steel façade reflects the sunlight during the day, infusing the building with golden light.

London's new City Hall rises on the South bank of the Thames, between Tower Bridge and London Bridge Station. The town hall's bulbous shape is designed to reduce energy consumption. The building has been compared to Darth Vader's helmet, a misshapen egg and even a glass testicle; Foster's imaginative designs make him one of the most talked-about and celebrated architects in the world.

Born on June 1, 1935, Norman Robert Foster, Lord Foster of Thames Bank, is one of the most renowned architects of his generation. Ennobled by Queen Elisabeth II, Foster has received prestigious orders of merit from the UK and Germany, a well as the Pritzker Architecture Prize, often referred the Nobel Prize of architecture.