In Honour of Sir Michael Hopkins
Sir Michael Hopkins RA (1935-2023)
We’re very sad to hear of the death of Sir Michael Hopkins, the award-winning architect who designed The Forum. Renowned for his work throughout the country, he was part of the “hi-tech” architecture movement, with The Forum a striking example of his innovative designs.
Sir Michael Hopkins’ famous buildings include Glyndebourne Opera House, Portcullis House, and the Jubilee Campus at Nottingham University. He also created the design for Norwich Cathedral’s Hostry and Refectory. Previously he worked with Norman Foster, who designed The Sainsbury Centre in Norwich: another inspiring cultural space.
Without the Millennium Project National Lottery funding, our iconic space would never have existed. The Forum cost £67 million to build, and our spectacular glass façade is 15metres high. Across our building there are 1,235 panes of glass, which is the equivalent to 18,000 square metres.
Our building is loved throughout the city and county: known for its amazing glass façade, that reflects our neighbours at St Peter Mancroft, the curved steel roof, and the spaciousness that welcomes everybody.
He was a man who thought big. He was asked how the long he thought The Forum would last: "Would it last as long as the nearly 500 year old St Peter Mancroft?" “Of course,” he said.
We’re grateful to Sir Michael Hopkins and the rest of the team at Hopkins Architects for creating an such a beautiful home for us, and a space which means so much to so many people.