A question and answer session with the Michael Oldous of the Instituto Empresa, in Madrid, on the occasion of the Prince of Asturias award given this year to Lord Foster. Prompted to discuss Foster’s contribution beyond the iconic buildings he and his practise have been long identified with, my interest remains in the ways in which Foster & Partners can be understood as the late 20th century realisation of the pioneering ambitions of European modern architecture founded nearly a century before: a sustained and lasting interest in new building materials and components; lightweight, rapid assembly systems; and high-quality design thinking married to an optimisation of design processes and—crucially—the internal organisation of their office.